Big man Jasiel Rivero was a main factor for taking Valencia Basket to the 7DAYS EuroCup semifinals in 2021-22, his third season in Europe. Now, the Cuban native has become just the second player from that country to play in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in his debut season in the competition.
Before him was Howard Sant-Roos, who played a total three seasons in the competition with CSKA Moscow and Panathinaikos Athens from 2019 to 2022. Rivero and Sant-Roos have such a close relationship that the latter became instrumental in Rivero's decision to come to Europe to play in the EuroLeague.
"He told me, before I started playing in the EuroLeague, what the competition was like", Rivero says about Sant-Roos. "He told me it was a great competition, tough and intense."
Which is just the kind of challenge that Rivero likes, because, as he admits, his intensity and athleticism are his main assets, which go hand in hand with Valencia's style and new coach for the 2022-23 season, Alex Mumbru.
"I just keep doing my job", he explains. "I continue to carry out the same role, which is bringing energy to the team. It's the most important quality I have, and it keeps things flowing."
In his debut season, Rivero has appeared in 15 EuroLeague games so far, mainly off the bench, and is averaging 10.1 points and 3.7 rebounds, to become one of the main pieces that is keeping Valencia in the thick of the playoffs race.
But just as he is a main piece of the puzzle on the court, coach Mumbru also praises him off the court.
"He is very happy, he has a very nice personality", Mumbru says. "He is one of those players who helps to create a group, in the locker room and he unites the team."