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

The year 2010 has been very kind to Kingdom of 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 Bout de France title and the Castilian soccer team won its starting time Globe Cup.

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

Despite not having its all-time player Pau Gasol – who has decided to skip the FIBA World Championship this summer to requite his body some much-needed rest – Kingdom of spain remains one of the favorites to capture the gilt medal in Turkey because of three reasons: center Marc Gasol, Pau's younger blood brother who is slowly blazing his own trail in the NBA; shooting guard Juan Carlos Navarro, the reigning Euroleague player of the twelvemonth; and his Euroleague teammate indicate guard Ricky Rubio.

Both men gave the United States fits in last Lord's day's exhibition game in Madrid, a game narrowly won by the U.S. 86-85. Navarro had 20 points to pb Spain and Gasol had 17 points and had his manner against the Americans in the low postal service.

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

The 25-year-former Barcelona native averaged career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (9.3) and field-goal per centum (58%) concluding flavor – his 2nd every bit an NBA pro – and has become i of the central figures in the Grizzlies' youth movement. The 7-foot-i, 270-pound big man is a much more concrete player than his older brother. He could very well be the best post-up player at the World Championship in Turkey, and at present is a expert fourth dimension to break out of his brother'southward immense shadow.

Marc Gasol may non take his sibling on this year's Castilian national squad but he'll accept his basketball brethren with him, including veteran baby-sit Navarro. Nicknamed "La Bomba" for his big-fourth dimension long-range shots, Navarro has been a fixture on Spain's national team for 10 years.

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

"Being in the aforementioned 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.

Espana is a shut-knit group, the cadre of the squad has been together for at least four seasons and much of the roster remains the same when it won the gilt medal at the 2006 World Title. Navarro, the squad helm, told FIBA.com that he has a skillful feeling about the team. "Most of the group is the same as last yr," he said, referring to the team that took gold at concluding yr's EuroBasket. "We know each other well and the know the style of play.

"We must attempt to play like terminal year and have a mind to defend. Then with our quality in assault 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 presume the starting role at indicate. Rubio showcased his talents confronting the U.S. in the exhibition game earlier this week in Madrid. His length bothered the guards and his passing off choice-and-rolls exposed the big men. Rubio will make a huge affect at the Earth Title, no dubiety.

The rest of Spain'southward starting lineup includes Navarro at shooting guard, Fernandez on the fly and Garbajosa and Marc Gasol in the frontcourt. Kingdom of spain has a NBA-blazon roster that can match upward against any team, including the United states. Its v starters took function in the 2008 Beijing Olympics (minus Pau, of course), losing to the U.s.a. in the gilt-medal game, and 9 of the 12 players on the squad are either playing in the NBA of was drafted past an NBA franchise.

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

But Navarro downplayed the importance of the highly predictable 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 take gone a long way in the championship, merely now it is a bit early to talk near information technology," he said. "There are many contenders. Argentina, the United States, Serbia, who had a great tournament last twelvemonth, but it is likewise early to think near that now. We are merely in the early stages of workouts and at that place is much piece of work remaining."