As if he were living Christmas early, Lluís Costa smiles. The former Canarista does so thanks to the prominence he has regained in the ranks of Coviran Granadaand also by the call of the Spanish team.
What are your feelings these last few days? First with the call from Chus Mateo and then with the debut.
Well, an immense joy the moment you receive the call. It was something that many people were telling you about, but the truth is that you didn't see it at all possible. But when they call you and you see that everything is real, you feel immense joy.. And the debut, imagine. Doing it with victory and on top of that with the luck that both family and friends could travel to see me made it a super special day that I will never forget.
I hadn't worn these colors in 12 years. The last time had been with the Sub 20 in 2013, but never with the senior team. Is it like a dream come true?
That's right, the Sub 20 was the last. I also went to the Sub 16 and the Sub 17. And now debuting with the senior team is like closing the circle; something that I would not have imagined even in my wildest dreams when I was little. Being able to fulfill it, the truth is, it has made me very, very happy.
Now it's his turn to debut on Spanish soil. He doesn't do it at home, but he does do it in a very familiar place where he earned everyone's affection. What reception do you expect?
I guess a little like everyone. I think people really want to see the national team because seeing the national team at home is special. I hope for a very nice reception.
“Debuting with the senior team is like closing the circle; something I would not have imagined as a child”
How are the sensations with Chus Mateo?
Very good. He gives us a lot of confidence, and in a few days he has managed to give us an idea of the way he wants to play.. I think they could not have chosen a better coach for this new cycle.
Once inside, can you imagine playing the rest of the windows, or is it too early to visualize it?
I don't even think about it. Now I focus on enjoying this, and enjoying the moment, because it is very difficult for these things to happen. We'll see in the future if I can repeat it, but now I'm focused on enjoying it to the fullest and I don't want to waste time thinking about these things.
He debuts with the absolute already in full maturity. He goes from being one of the youngest in the CBCanarias to one of the oldest in the national team…
Yes, in the end I am 32, and it is true that in the Canarias I felt young. It's one of the bad things about having left (laughs). It is true that age passes for everyone, but right now I feel very good physically, I have not had any serious injuries, knock on wood, and I hope it continues like this.
How do you see these young people who are trying to make a place for themselves in the national team?
Yes. We are lucky to have a very good youth team and every summer, in the youth teams, they win several medals. That's why I think you have to trust these people and give them a chance. Maybe the bad thing is because of the generation we come from, which was extremely good, although the one that is yet to come is also very promising..
«The previous generation was very good, but this one must be given a chance»
Can it be said that in recent weeks Lluís Costa has changed the face of Granada, and also that Granada has changed the face of Lluís Costa?
Yes, two months ago, before leaving the Canary Islands, it was totally unthinkable that this would happen to me.. It is a step that I had to make since this year I was not playing at all, and I think that Granada, both in this stage and in the first, has totally changed my career and even my life. The truth is that I am super happy that the two of us, hand in hand, are doing very well.
I understand that this change of scenery was necessary for you…
Yes, last year I played some minutes and participated in some games, but this season it was clear that I was not counted on, so the best thing was to go out; being able to enjoy basketball since last year I didn't finish doing it at all.
Analyzing the situation of the Canary Islands, with Jaime recovered and the arrival of Van Beck, plus Marce and Bruno, and even the signing of Bordón… Wasn't it logical that this departure would have occurred in the preseason?
Well, things happen as they happen, and the truth is that I did not expect to play so few minutes. I thought that, in a team like the Canarias, with many players of an advancing age and with double competition, there could be minutes for everyone… I expected to play a little more, but that's not what happened and that's why I looked for a way out.
Now with perspective, I don't want to call it a mistake, but maybe coming was not the best decision?
No, not at all, I don't agree with this because without going any further, look where I am right now, in the national team. It is a year and something in which I have learned a lot, both from the two point guards I had next to me, and from each of the other players. I have lived experiences that I would never have imagined as a child, such as the Copa del Rey, the Super Cup, playoff … I am super happy with the decision I made, and I would make the same one again, knowing how it went.
Within that privilege of soaking up what surrounds him, the teacher of teachers, I suppose, has been Huertas…
Yes, he is the League MVP for a reason. He is a player from whom you can learn a lot in every moment you are with him, from the moment you arrive at the pavilion until you leave, on trips… He is a super humble person from whom I could soak up everything he did.. It has been great luck and I will always brag about having played with Marcelinho Huertas.
Aside from those Brazilian master classes, what have you taken away from this year or so here?
Those experiences that as a child I never imagined being able to live, such as the Cup, the Final Four of the Champions League, the Super Cup… They are experiences that I will keep for a lifetime. I had a great time within a team of 10. This is what I stay with.
Have you had time to miss something about Tenerife?
Not yet, although it is true that the cold in Granada is pressing. I look askance at the temperature and the truth is that I do miss the Island now.
Is it difficult to find a place within a group as strong as that of the Canary Islands and also in a tactical framework as complex as that of Txus Vidorreta?
It is true that They are people who have been together for many years and are also a very demanding team.. That forces you to be at 110% and completely adapt to their style in order to make a space for yourself; and even then it is not easy at all. But that demand is normal, because the Canary Islands have been doing things so well in recent years that whoever comes has to be at the same level or even higher… When I had the opportunity to play, I think I contributed a lot to the group, that is another of the things I stay with.
Via: The Day – The Opinion of Tenerife
