Juancho Hernangomez was named to Spain’s roster ahead of the pair of upcoming 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers. The Denver Nuggets forward is the only NBA player among the 16 Spaniards who will face Slovenia on June 28 and Belarus on July 1.
📝 OFICIAL | Estos son los 16 NOMBRES de #LaFamilia que jugarán los dos próximos partidos de clasificación para la @FIBAWC 👍#SelMAS 🇪🇸 #SomosEquipo pic.twitter.com/5tA6tN7MBb
— Baloncesto España (@BaloncestoESP) June 20, 2018
Hernangomez, 22, is entering an important third season with Denver. He impressed in brief flashes as a rookie, knocking down 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts. But his second season was derailed by a bout with mononucleosis. Hernangomez wound up appearing in only 25 games.
Older brother Willy Hernangomez, 24, announced earlier this month that he won’t participate in the upcoming qualifiers so he can continue to train with his NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, during the offseason.
Spain, which is in a group with Slovenia, Montenegro and Belarus, is a perfect 4-0 so far in the qualifying phase.
Spain was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the previous FIBA Basketball World Cup, which took place in 2014. The United States easily defeated Serbia in the championship of that tournament.
Nuggets assistant Jordi Fernandez, an assistant coach for Spain during EuroBasket 2017, was not on the official coaching staff that the team released Wednesday. Spain will report to Madrid for training camp on Sunday.
