Spain expressly nationalizes Megan Gustafson and Lorenzo Brown hesitates to attend the World Cup

The same day that the words of Lorenzo Brown arrive, questioning his participation with Spain in the next World Cup, the express naturalization by naturalization letter of the American player Megan Gustafson has been made public.. A procedure that has been known by the BOE, but that has not arrived in time for the power forward to participate in the women's Eurobasket that starts this Thursday in Tel Aviv.

The Spanish Federation therefore repeats the formula, as successful as it is controversial, of nationalizing a player despite the fact that their link with the country is null. The objective is to alleviate the specific deficiencies that the teams may have so that they do not lose their competitive capacity. In the case of Brown, during the European past in which Sergio Scariolo's team won gold with the now Maccabi player playing a fundamental role, it was due to Ricky Rubio's injury and problems at the point guard. Gustafson, who currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA and who has played in the Euroleague with Olympiacos (22.4 points and 9.4 rebounds) – has also gone through other European teams such as Ludovika Csata, Gorzow and the Arka Gdynia (21-22)-, was going to reinforce the paint of Miguel Méndez's team due to the absence for personal reasons of the also nationalized Astou Ndour and the injuries to María Araújo and Irati Etxarri.

But the procedures, always complex, have not arrived on time. Méndez summoned the young Lola Pendande, born in Almería. Together with Laura Gil, Paula Ginzo and Raquel Carrera they will be in charge of the Spanish painting in the challenge of returning to the continental medals after the serious setback of the 2021 European Championship in Valencia that left the last World Cup without a ticket. The Gustafson option, therefore, would open up in the next commitments of the selection, with an eye on the 2024 Olympic Games.

The news about Gustafson (1.91 meters), born in Wisconsin 26 years ago and trained at the University of Iowa (number 17 in the 2019 draft), arrives on the same day that Lorenzo Brown, just after winning the Israel League with Maccabi, set off the alarm about his participation with Spain in the World Cup that starts at the end of August: “I'm not sure”. The point guard's reasoning stems from his physical exhaustion in an exhausted season for him. “I am thinking of leaving it now. The year was very long. My body aches, I have discomfort. Each step is torture. We are going to see how things go in summer…”, he confessed.