Pedro Martínez shared his first impressions of Real Madrid in an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS.
The team’s new coach noted that, compared to his time at Valencia, he feels more comfortable on the bench at Real Madrid. He also mentioned the upcoming EuroLeague Super Cup mini-tournament, emphasizing that his team’s goal is to play as well as possible, and regarding the team’s structure, he said he is pleased.
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Below is an excerpt from his interview with AS.
On the EuroLeague Super Cup and Dubai:
“The tournament is very demanding, with exceptional teams—it’s like a Final Four. Top-level competition and maximum demands right from the start—it’s a great spectacle. It’s a little early for everyone, but it’s a very good test to face such strong opponents. We’ll have to be at our best and play as well as we can. Dubai? They’ve signed some fantastic players and have a new coach, Xavi Pascual, who’s exceptional. It’ll be a very tough first game, but we’re looking forward to facing one of the teams that has strengthened the most this year.”
On his decision to join Real Madrid and the roster’s composition:
“Juan Carlos Sánchez was the right person for the job. At first, I had some doubts because I was happy at my previous club. However, the confidence he instilled in me and the tremendous interest he showed gave me the feeling that he believed in my work and considered me the right coach for Real Madrid. I felt it from the very first moment. That interest, coming from someone I respect immensely for all he has contributed to Spanish basketball, was decisive.
I’m very happy with the structure Real Madrid has in its competitive division. At other teams, I had more responsibility in player selection. Here, I feel much more at ease. My opinion matters, but there are other people who are responsible for understanding the market and deciding what kind of player we need. I share my opinion, but I’m not the one who makes the final decision. That responsibility belongs to other people—Alberto Herreros and Rudi Fernández—and I felt comfortable working with them this summer.”
On the latest addition to the roster and expectations for the new player:
“He’s on his way. The club operates professionally, and everything follows a process. The player must first arrive, then undergo medical exams, and subsequently be officially announced by the team. If he completes this entire process—which I believe will happen—our goal is to help him. If the player whose name has been circulating does indeed join us, Nick Smith Jr., he’ll be a very young player with no experience outside his home country, unfamiliar with how basketball is played in Europe or how practices are conducted. We need to help him understand that things here are definitely different from what he has experienced in his short professional career.
One way to help him is not to expect too much. What we need is for as many players as possible to be in the best possible shape, and the roster will have 16 players. Let’s not expect a player to score 35 points in every game and leave everyone speechless. We want a cohesive, unpredictable team that won’t depend on just one or two players. Sometimes, high expectations for a player—simply because he comes from the NBA—can backfire. “What we expect from the new player, just as we do from everyone else, is that he contribute, help out, and make sacrifices for the good of the team.”
*photo source: KYPE
