Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (third from left) joins an already loaded Spanish national team. (FIBA EUROPE)

The final game of the 2011 European Championship turned into a huge block party for Serge Ibaka.

In his first major international competition wearing the colors of the Spanish national team, the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder forward had half of Spain’s 10 blocked shots against France and helped Espana capture the EuroBasket title in Lithuania. Spain and France earned automatic berths for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Ibaka scored just four points in 21 minutes off the bench, but it was his stellar defense that keyed an impressive 98-85 victory for Spain, the second-best team in the world and the biggest threat to the United States next summer. Ibaka completely altered the game with three early monster blocks in the first half that powered Spain to a 36-26 lead.

Barcelona’s Juan Carlos Navarro led the Spaniards with a game-high 27 points. Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker paced France with 26 points.

The addition of the 6-foot-10 Ibaka gives Spain, which already boasts 7-footers Pau and Marc Gasol, the most formidable frontline in the world – even better than whatever the U.S. will put together next year. Ibaka prefers to face-up on offense, and he doesn’t mind giving way to the post to the Gasol brothers.

Ibaka calls Pau Gasol possibly the most talented center with the best fundamentals in the NBA. “It will be a dream to play with him,” Ibaka told the Associated Press back in July.

Flashback to the gold medal game against the U.S. in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in which Spain struggled to keep up with the Americans athletically, especially when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony played power forward. With Ibaka on the roster, Spain will no longer have that issue.

Ibaka was granted Spanish nationality in July, clearing the way for him to help Spain defend its European championship. “Spain is a country that has given me a lot,” Ibaka told the Associated Press. “It will be an honor to give Spain back all that it has given me on the court.”

Ibaka was born in the Republic of Congo but played for Spanish clubs for three years before moving to the NBA in 2009. He maintains a residence in Barcelona.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Marc Gasol, who had a solid year with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, won't have his older brother Pau at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but that shouldn't stop Spain from contending for the gold medal. (GETTY IMAGES)

The year 2010 has been very kind to Spain.

In June, Pau Gasol won his second NBA championship with the Lakers. A few weeks later, Rafael Nadal won his second Wimbledon title. In July, Alberto Contador captured his third consecutive Tour de France title and the Spanish soccer team won its first World Cup.

It has been a banner year for Spain so far, and the country’s great karma could continue at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, which begins Aug. 28.

Despite not having its best player Pau Gasol – who has decided to skip the FIBA World Championship this summer to give his body some much-needed rest – Spain remains one of the favorites to capture the gold medal in Turkey because of three reasons: center Marc Gasol, Pau’s younger brother who is slowly blazing his own trail in the NBA; shooting guard Juan Carlos Navarro, the reigning Euroleague player of the year; and his Euroleague teammate point guard Ricky Rubio.

Both men gave the United States fits in last Sunday’s exhibition game in Madrid, a game narrowly won by the U.S. 86-85. Navarro had 20 points to lead Spain and Gasol had 17 points and had his way against the Americans in the low post.

For years, Marc Gasol, nicknamed “El Tanque,” has played in the shadows of his much celebrated brother. But the last couple of years, Marc has come into his own and had a breakout season with the Memphis Grizzlies last year.

The 25-year-old Barcelona native averaged career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (9.3) and field-goal percentage (58%) last season – his second as an NBA pro – and has become one of the central figures in the Grizzlies’ youth movement. The 7-foot-1, 270-pound big man is a much more physical player than his older brother. He could very well be the best post-up player at the World Championship in Turkey, and now is a good time to break out of his brother’s immense shadow.

Marc Gasol may not have his sibling on this year’s Spanish national team but he’ll have his basketball brethren with him, including veteran guard Navarro. Nicknamed “La Bomba” for his big-time long-range shots, Navarro has been a fixture on Spain’s national team for 10 years.

“For many years Juan Carlos and I have known each other and we are like brothers,” Marc Gasol told FIBA.com. The 30-year-old Navarro, a former member of the Memphis Grizzlies who led FC Barcelona to a Euroleague title last season and is the reigning Euroleague Final MVP.

“Being in the same room as Juan Carlos is like being with my brother Pau, because they are very similar,” Gasol added. “I have a lot of affection for Juan Carlos.”

Juan Carlos Navarro will captain Spain at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.

Indeed, the camaraderie at Spain’s training camp appears to be good, with Rudy Fernandez and Rubio together like old times at DKV Joventut, and Felipe Reyes and Jorge Garbajosa also hanging out just as if they were with Real Madrid.

Spain is a close-knit group, the core of the squad has been together for at least four seasons and much of the roster remains the same when it won the gold medal at the 2006 World Championship. Navarro, the team captain, told FIBA.com that he has a good feeling about the squad. “Most of the group is the same as last year,” he said, referring to the team that took gold at last year’s EuroBasket. “We know each other well and the know the style of play.

“We must try to play like last year and have a mind to defend. Then with our quality in attack we have everything.”

With the injury to Jose Calderon, who appears to be out of the World Championship because of a leg injury, Rubio will assume the starting role at point. Rubio showcased his talents against the U.S. in the exhibition game earlier this week in Madrid. His length bothered the guards and his passing off pick-and-rolls exposed the big men. Rubio will make a huge impact at the World Championship, no doubt.

The rest of Spain’s starting lineup includes Navarro at shooting guard, Fernandez on the wing and Garbajosa and Marc Gasol in the frontcourt. Spain has a NBA-type roster that can match up against any team, including the United States. Its five starters took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics (minus Pau, of course), losing to the United States in the gold-medal game, and nine of the 12 players on the squad are either playing in the NBA of was drafted by an NBA franchise.

Spain and the United States are obviously the two favorites at the World Championship, and Spain could have a slight edge because it has a much more experienced group and Team USA doesn’t not have a whole lot of size to match up with Marc Gasol in the middle.

But Navarro downplayed the importance of the highly anticipated matchup with the United States and didn’t discount the other teams in the tournament.

“Hopefully we can play them, as that would mean we have gone a long way in the championship, but now it is a bit early to talk about it,” he said. “There are many contenders. Argentina, the United States, Serbia, who had a great tournament last year, but it is too early to think about that now. We are only in the early stages of workouts and there is much work remaining.”

Popularity: 4% [?]

The best players of the 2009-10 Euroleague Basketball season were honored last week at the annual Euroleague Basketball Awards Ceremony held at the historic Paris city hall, Hôtel de Ville.

Olympiacos point guard Milos Teodosic was voted the 2009-10 Euroleague MVP after a breakout season. Teodosic, who led Olympiacos to the Euroleague Final against Regal FC Barcelona, was joined on the 2009-10 All-Euroleague First Team by Olympiacos teammate Linas Kleiza at forward, Regal FC Barcelona guard Juan Carlos Navarro, CSKA Moscow forward Viktor Khryapa and Partizan Belgrade center Aleks Maric.

It is a first-time honor for all but Navarro, the 2009 Euroleague MVP and 2010 Euroleague Final MVP, who was named All-Euroleague First Team for the fourth time. Kleiza, who played for the Denver Nuggets last season, won the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy. Khryapa received the Euroleague Best Defender Trophy and the Rising Star Trophy went to Ricky Rubio, 19, of Barcelona, the youngest winner of an end-of-season award ever in the Euroleague.

Ricky Rubio led Regal FC Barcelona to victory in the 2010 Euroleague Final.

Rubio was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, but opted to play in Europe. The Minnesota Timberwolves hold his draft rights. Rubio and Navarro, teammates on Spain’s national team, recently led Barcelona to a victory in the Euroleague Final over Olympiacos.

The 2009-10 All-Euroleague second team featured Bo McCalebb of Partizan at point guard, CSKA forward Ramunas Siskauskas, forward Josh Childress of Olympiacos, forward Erazem Lorbek of Barcelona and center Tiago Splitter of Caja Laboral. Siskauskas, the 2008 MVP, is a second-team selection for the third time. He was also on the first team and was MVP in 2008.

Lorbek, the 2005 Rising Star, is on the second team for the second time. Splitter is also on the Second Team for the second time and was a member of the 2008 All-Euroleague First Team. Childress, who played for the Atlanta Hawks for four seasons, and McCalebb, a Euroleague rookie, are both first-time honorees.

Euroleague.net contributed to this report.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Juan Carlos Navarro was the captain of the Spanish national team that competed in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. (FIBA)

Like most European sensations, Juan Carlos Navarro wanted to try his luck in the NBA. He played one season with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007-08, teaming with fellow Spaniard Pau Gasol.

The Grizzlies acquired Navarro’s draft rights from the Washington Wizards – which selected the Spanish guard with the 40th overall pick in 2002 – and believed he would be a good fit for an up-and-coming team that needed some savvy veterans.

Navarro appeared in all 82 games for the Grizzlies, starting 30 of them. He averaged 10.9 points per game in 26 minutes and shot 40.2% from the field and 36.1% from behind the 3-point line – his specialty.

But Navarro’s NBA career was short-lived. After Gasol – his friend and teammate on Spain’s national team – was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008, Navarro didn’t like where the Grizzlies were headed and began planning a return trip to Europe.

His home team of nine years, Regal FC Barcelona, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. The contract was reportedly worth $20 million for five years, which dwarfs what the Grizzlies paid him ($538,000) for his one-year service.

Juan Carlos Navarro won the Euroleague regular season MVP in 2009 and captured the 2010 Euroleague Final MVP after leading FC Barcelona over Olympiacos. (REUTERS)

For the past two seasons, the man they call “La Bomba” has rediscovered his touch and reasserted himself as one of the elite players in Europe. Navarro won the Euroleague’s MVP in 2009 and recently led FC Barcelona to an 86-68 victory over Olympiacos in the 2010 Euroleague Final in Paris. Navarro scored a game-high 21 points in the final game and was named Euroleague Final Four MVP.

It was FC Barcelona’s second Euroleague championship, and Navarro has been a part of both titles.

He was a role player on the Barcelona team, anchored by MVP Dejan Bodiroga, that won the Euroleague title in 2003. Seven years later, Navarro has not only become the face of FC Barcelona – along with fellow Spanish superstar Ricky Rubio – but he has emerged as arguably the No. 1 player in Europe.

“I am very happy to be here. All our hard work has paid off,” the 30-year-old Spaniard told Euroleague.net. “We did a very good job and I am very happy for my teammates. We stepped on court ready to play such an important game.

“My first Euroleague title was special because it was the first for the club, but being a more important player this time, this is just as special, too.”

Navarro is a unique talent. He is not blessed with great size (listed at 6 feet 4 but probably closer to 6-2) and quickness, but he finds various ways to score. Not only is Navarro a great outside shooter, but he also has an unstoppable one-handed runner or floater that is very difficult to stop and frustrates defenders because it’s an off-balance, unorthodox shot on the move. The San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker and Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose have this shot in their arsenal, and more and more point guards are practicing it.

Navarro is currently participating in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. When Gasol decided to skip the worlds and rest his body after a grueling NBA season with the two-time NBA champion Lakers, Navarro was named captain of the Spanish national team. He led Spain in scoring (16 points per game) during the preliminary round and shot 54% from the field – 40% from 3-point range.

Though Spain finished a disappointing 3-2 in Group D it still managed to advance to the round of 16, where it knocked out tournament heavyweight Greece, 80-72, in a heated game. Navarro made seven of 10 field goals against the Greeks, including a crucial 3-point shot with less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.

Navarro had plenty of help in the game against Greece. Rudy Fernandez scored five of his 14 points in a 9-0 Spain run midway through the fourth quarter that pushed Spain’s lead from one point to 10 points. Fran Vazquez and Felipe Reyes combined for 12 points and 17 rebounds off the bench.

Spain advanced to the quarterfinals where it will face Serbia, which defeated Croatia 73-72 in the round of 16.

Dimitris Diamantidis and Nikos Zisis each had 16 points to lead Greece. After the game, Diamantidis told reporters that he is retiring from international competition.

Greece has now lost to Spain in the last four major FIBA tournaments. Spain defeated the Greeks in the final of the World Championship in 2006 and in the semifinals of EuroBasket in 2007. Spain also beat Greece in the preliminary round at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and again defeated the Greeks in the semifinals in Poland last year.

Popularity: 4% [?]