Fran Guerra, the pivot who left the ghosts and his bad reputation behind: "I was one step away from throwing in the towel"

• LUCAS SÁEZ-BRAVO

  @LucasSaezBravo

Updated on Monday, 29November2021-02: 12

• Share on Facebook

• Share on Twitter

• Send by email

Comment

• Windows Spain walks in Macedonia and discovers a pearl

Fran Guerra

(Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1992) started on Friday with the national team in Skopje and on Monday in Jaén it seems essential to stop the benchmark of Georgia, his partner

, a duel of giants. Nobody disputes him as fixed in this Spain of the windows in search of the World Cup, although not so long ago everything was so different for him. "In Palma de Mallorca I was about to throw in the towel, one step away. Every game frustrated me, I thought it would never come", the pivot, a marked guy, is sincere.

Because not so long ago, three years ago, Fran was sanctioned by his own team, Iberojet Palma, for two attacks in two different games. It was the time of disillusionment, of a promise that had been stranded in the second category of national basketball, as if no one was able to give it a chance despite being the best center of the LEB Oro for three consecutive seasons. " I love basketball and I would watch ACB and Euroleague games and think: 'How can I not be there? Why? What else do I have to do?' I was thinking about what I was missing. " And then, his own ghosts played tricks on him and fame spoiled the future.

"That ... I had two or three bad actions in LEB and they are closely linked to the whole issue of frustration. My character led me to do negative things. And people judge you by what they see, not by who you are. That it has always made him have a bad resume, a fame, because in the end only the bad remains, "recalls the canary, who escaped from that hole thanks to two pillars.

The first,

, a

who rescued him at the most delicate moment.

The second is called family, they are his wife and his two little girls,

: "Thanks to them I have changed completely, they helped me to mature."

Txus Vidorreta

Because in Fran, a 214-centimeter canary whose brother

-became a Barça youth squad- got the bug and who at the age of 18 moved to Madrid to join the Estudiantes, first it was the mental click and then the sports . When he released his black clouds,

, the coach who had made him debut in ACB in 2012. And in Tenerife, that alternative to the greats, he grows like the giant that he is, improving in every corner of his basketball , reading the

like few. "Txus is the one who has helped me. At first it was difficult for me, but we understand each other well. He is giving me an opportunity, trusting in me and I am taking advantage of it. That is the important thing. Sometimes the train passes and if you do not take it It is difficult for him to return, "says the Basque coach.

An amazing evolution, which led him to renew three years with Tenerife and last February to make his debut with the national team. It was in Poland and fate had saved him a wink: Spain won thanks to his free kick. Precisely the 4.60, another of its weak points that were left behind. "Three years ago I had 50% in free throws and now I feel comfortable. When I was fouled, I was very nervous about having to go to the free throw line. I have taken that negative mentality away: now I can receive 20 faults that every time I will go with the same thought to the line, do my ritual and put it in. "

Lleida, Ourense, Melilla, Mallorca ... If at that time they told you that now you would be wearing the Spain shirt ... There is a lot of work. I had moments in the LEB of thinking that I was never going to reach the national team, even the opportunity of the ACB. Mentally it was hard, I saw everything dark. Now that the calls from Spain arrive and my name is there ... I never imagined it. It was a dream and it came true. Being here for me is a pride. In the post-Gasol era, pivots are going to be needed in Spain. Can you imagine in a Eurobasket or a World Cup? I'm going to fight it. Without the 'Gasoles', there are free places for the pivots. That it does not depend on me not to be there. What does Scariolo ask of him? Intensity, that we always help our teammate in defense, because we have the talent in attack. And rebound (six sacks in the Macedonian victory),which is one of my weak points, that I contact the defender. He will have already done the Shermadini scouting ... [Laughs] That question I knew was going to come. He is an incredible player. I've been training with him for two years and what to tell you. Has a lot of talent. Above all I am going to have to apply myself in defense, know how to control him because he is a key piece in his selection.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Spain

• Tenerife

• Pau Gasol

• Eurobasket

• Georgia

• sports

• HBPR

BasketballShengelia, the patriotic display of the star that fueled the conflict between Georgia and Russia

ACB 2021 - 2022 Andrés Feliz, the youth base who grew up in the most dangerous neighborhood of Santo Domingo: "Some of my colleagues are dead or in prison"

BasketballLaia Palau, the farewell of the commander of the women's basketball revolution: "Then everything was precarious"

See links of interest

• Last News

• Translator

• What

• Holidays 2021

• 2022 business calendar

• Home THE WORLD TODAY

• Master investigative journalism

• Udinese - Genoa

• Real Betis - Raise

• Leganés - Las Palmas

• Brentford - Everton

• Burnley - Tottenham Hotspur