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The graduation of Hugo González, the last pearl of Real Madrid basketball

2022-10-05T07:14:33.707Z


The academy player, who was decisive in Spain's silver medal at the U-17 World Cup this summer, became the fourth youngest to debut with the Whites' first team at 16 after Doncic, Núñez and Garuba


The youth academy was one of the emblems of Real Madrid in Pablo Laso's time, and now with Chus Mateo on the bench, the White

Factory

continues to reclaim its weight in the team.

Last Sunday, in the match against Monbus Obradoiro (93-79) on the second day of the ACB, a breath of fresh air rounded off the victory with a historic record: Hugo González (16 years old, Madrid) made his debut with the first team and he became the fourth youngest player to wear the Real Madrid shirt.

With 6,083 days, only Usman Garuba (6,077 days), Roberto Núñez (6,057 days) and Luka Doncic (5,905 days) surpass the precocity of the young forward from Madrid.

After going through all the strata of the white quarry, which he arrived in 2017 from CB San Agustín de Guadalix, his time has come.

With the

seven

that Doncic wore behind his back, González jumped onto the field to play the last three minutes with the game already resolved (88-67 at that time).

He had four points without fail on his only field goal and on two free throws.

"He is a very promising player," said Chus Mateo about his first debutant.

“He has a lot of quality and he is going to help us a lot during the year when we have injury problems, as is happening”.

After a preseason in which he was able to shoot with the first team, the losses of Hanga and Rudy, injured after the Super Cup, opened the door for González.

"I'm dreaming," he tweeted after the game.

A dream that has come true.

🎂 He is 16 years and 8 months old


💪 He embroidered it in the #MinicopaEndesa


👏 He is the 4th youngest player in 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐫 in the history of @RMBaloncesto



Who is he?

💫HUGO GONZÁLEZ! #LigaEndesa |

@hugoglezz_ pic.twitter.com/8Uuf2L4jBY

– Endesa League (@ACBCOM) October 2, 2022

A member of the team that won silver this summer in the U-17 World Cup, González was one of the most important players in the team led by Javi Zamora, despite being the youngest on the

roster

.

In the Federation they point to that generation as the most promising in national basketball since the

Golden Juniors

, and Zamora highlights from his pupil how quickly he became one of the locker room leaders.

"Despite being a year younger, he integrated perfectly from day one," explains the coach.

“He grew with the championship until he was one of the references on both sides of the track.

Apart from his excellent physical and technical qualities, he would highlight his capacity for work, sacrifice, and his spirit, always trying to seek excellence, with humility, trying to be better every day”.

His figures were 9.3 points and 5 rebounds on average per game, leaving one of the

highlights

of the tournament with an impressive mate in the final against the United States.

One of the keys that explain his precocious irruption is that basketball runs through his veins.

His parents, Paco González and Montserrat Peña, were both basketball players and currently continue to be linked to the sport, training youth teams like his son.

But it hasn't only been prodigious genes that his parents have transmitted to him, but also a mentality that impresses someone his age.

“He has always had things very clear and has been very responsible.

On the one hand, basketball and on the other, studies”, explains Mónica Friera, González's teacher until this year, in which she went to high school and received a scholarship to continue her studies at a center specializing in athletes.

Friera describes her student as a boy who is always happy, good-natured and with an ability to draw people to his side.

“He was one of the most popular in high school not only because of basketball, but also because of his character.

He has a way of being that is always very positive, he tries to motivate his teammates, and that makes them accept him very quickly.

He is a natural leader.”

Friera points to his parents as the great responsible for González standing out both on the field and in his studies.

“They have always been very aware of how he was doing, giving as much importance to training as to basketball and without asking for any favoritism.

If he had to be absent from class for a training session or a game, we made it easier for him, but then he would study at night and not hang out with his friends as much because he knew he had to catch up.

He took time out from under the stones, the truth is that his determination is to be admired, ”says the teacher.

After the departure this summer of Juan Núñez, Real Madrid only has one youth squad in the first team, the Senegalese Eli Ndiaye (18 years old, Senegal), who made his debut last season under the guidance of Pablo Laso.

Adding Gonzalez to the rotation could be a solution at a time when the team is missing outside players.

The challenge of earning a place at Real Madrid is daunting, but the first objective has already been achieved.

The door has been opened, and now the future is yours.

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Source: elparis

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