NBA players Mara and Miller to debut for Spain in World Cup qualifiers

NBA players Aday Mara and Baba Miller are set to make their debut with the Spanish senior national basketball team in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. They are scheduled to play against Portugal on August 28 and Greece on August 31, as part of the qualification process for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.

Coach Chus Mateo announced the inclusion of these rising stars, along with other Spanish players currently in the NBA, such as Santi Aldama and Hugo González. This marks a significant presence of players from the top professional league, approaching the number seen in the 2017 Eurobasket, where Spain secured a bronze medal.

Mara, who recently became the first Spaniard to win an NCAA title with the UConn Huskies, was drafted 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Standing at 221 centimeters, he is one of Spain's tallest players. Baba Miller, selected 36th in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, will also make his senior team debut after impressing with Spain's B team last summer.

Hugo González will return to the national team after his June call-up, during which he scored 16 and 9 points in games against Denmark and Georgia. Santi Aldama, who has been sidelined since March due to knee surgery, will also return to play under Mateo's guidance. His Dallas Mavericks teammate, point guard Sergio de Larrea, also makes a comeback after being absent since the last Eurobasket.

Spain enters the second qualifying phase with a strong 5-1 record from the first round. They will compete in Group I against Portugal, Greece, Montenegro, Ukraine, and Georgia. Spain's last match in the first phase was a loss to Georgia, but they hold a better record than Montenegro and Ukraine, who are second and third in their respective groups with 4-2 records. Portugal, Greece, and Georgia all have 3-3 records.