In its debut season in the ACB, Leyma Básquet Coruña, distant heir to Bosco that played in the highest category – then the Spanish Basketball League – in the 1968-69 season, has 11 players born outside of Spain on its roster. His only Herculean predecessor rubbed shoulders with the greats without foreigners in their ranks. Choosing 10 is always complicated because several conditions come into play.
10. Malik Evans. Pivot, 2.04 meters. ‘El Pulpo Texano’ only played one season, 1999-00, in the Sondeos del Norte. Then he would continue in the LEB League with Rosalía from Santiago, Cantabria and Aracena from Catalonia-Andalusia. A lot of class and more power, his numbers on the Herculino team were excellent: 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 blocks.
9. Lottana Nwogbo. Pivot, 2.03 meters. He exhibited his talent – and a peculiar and almost inhuman ability to catch the ball with one hand – in an entire season (2022-23) and the final stretch of another (2020-21). Elegant, capable of playing with his back and facing the rim and very forceful in finishing. He currently plays for Fuenlabrada. Two weeks ago he was elected Primera FEB weekly MVP.
8. Goran Huskic. Pivot, 2.10 meters. The one baptized as ‘Jokic of the poor’ arrived at Básquet Coruña in the historic 2023-24 season and was one of the most outstanding, especially in the first half of the course, of the squad that achieved promotion to the ACB. A clinic of fundamentals that, with more physicality, only God knows how far it could have gone.
7. Trey Thompkins. Power forward, 2.08 meters. By name and by resume, the best foreigner in the history of Herculean basketball. For performance, it remains to be seen. In the six games – the first with testimonial participation – that he has played as an orange, he has shown that, being healthy, he is still a top player.
6. Jamal Johnson. Pivot, 2.01 meters. The first foreign player in the history of Basketball Coruña. His 1996-97 season was fantastic: 34 points and 10 rebounds on average in the Northern Conference of the EBA League, of which he was chosen MVP. A hurricane in the vicinity of the rim despite his lack of centimeters, which he compensated with a prodigious physique.
5. Mike Giomi. Pivot, 2.05 meters. Player with a peculiar professional career. The Basketmar Coruña. In the 1991-1992 and 1992-93 academic years, it was one of its 12 teams. In the Herculino team he played in the second national category. In the ACB, in two seasons at Breogán and one at Bilbao Basket, he recorded excellent averages of 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds. His daughter Lydia, born in 1998 in Tenerife, where dad closed his extensive professional career, currently plays for Ensino Lugo in the Women’s League.
4. Jason Maile. Escort, 1.93 meters. Exact profile of the ‘white shooter’ stereotype. He played for two consecutive seasons (1998-99 and 1999-00) in Sondeos del Norte, the first two for Básquet Coruña in the second category of Spanish basketball. In the first of them he averaged, in 30 games, 14.9 points, with a notable 38.3% success rate in triples. In the second, the average was 12.1 points (32.5%). In the 2002-23 season he won the Bundesliga three-point contest, the German first division, when he was a member of the Giessen 49ers.
3. Dago Peña. Eaves, 1.98 meters. The Dominican international spent three seasons at Leyma Básquet Coruña… and only one of them completed. In the first (2015-16), he arrived in mid-February to cover Ángel Hernández’s absence due to a serious injury. The initial half of the second, in which he was being one of the best in Gold, was taken by Barça to reinforce his subsidiary, in clear danger of relegation. With him there were nothing more and nothing less than 16.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 stolen balls on average. He returned in 2020-21, the two phases and playoffs, series for promotion in which he recorded great numbers: 18.2 points, 5.6 rejections, 2.6 basket passes and 1.4 steals. Leyma wasted a match ball at home to get into the final.
2. Beka Burjanadze. Wingspan, 2.01 meters. He arrived in A Coruña from the CB Sevilla youth team (currently Betis) and his impact was immediate in the tremendous 2015-16 season. After a second orange campaign at a stratospheric level, he began a long journey through the ACB and briefly through Italy. From there he returned with the idea of taking Leyma to the ACB. And he complied. Basketball, charisma, leadership, drive… He continues to excel in the highest category.
1. Zach Monaghan. Base, 1,89 metros. The ‘Wizard of Palatine’ illuminated the Riazor Sports Palace with his fantasy yet effective game. Tito Díaz tamed him little by little without diminishing his performance. He left twice and came back two more times. In total, six seasons and 192 games, the second highest number – after Ángel Hernández’s 196 – for the orange club in the 16 seasons in the LEB/LEB Oro League. Shortly after arriving, he had the Tower of Hercules tattooed on his arm. . He assures that he never felt like a foreigner here. And here all basketball fans will remember him for many years.
What are the key benefits of having a diverse roster with many foreign players at Leyma Básquet Coruña?
Thank you for joining us today on World-Today-News.com. I’m excited to discuss Leyma Básquet Coruña’s inaugural season in the top Division of Spanish Basketball, and their reliance on foreign talent.
Firstly, could you both introduce yourselves and explain your role within the club?
Guest 1: Hi! My name is Goran Huskic. I am a 2.10-meter center and one of the newest additions to the team this season. As a player, my role is to provide physicality inside the paint, rebounding, and scoring opportunities for my teammates.
Guest 2: Hi, my name is Beka Burjanadze. I’m a 2.01-meter swingman and have been with the team since the 2021-22 season. In addition to playing, I also handle some of the team’s marketing and promotion activities.
Secondly, with 11 foreign-born players on the roster, what does the influx of international talent bring to the team?
Guest 1: Well, having so many players from different backgrounds brings a lot of diversity to the team. Each player brings their unique style of play, which helps us adapt to different situations on the court. We’ve had to learn from one another, and this has made us a stronger unit overall.
Guest 2: Absolutely. The variety in our gameplay style allows us to challenge ourselves and find new ways to improve. But it also helps us connect better with the fans, as we become more relatable and accessible due to our international backgrounds.
Thirdly, among the foreign players, who has stood out the most, and how have they impacted the team’s performance?
Guest 1: It’s difficult to single out just one, but Trey Thompkins has been exceptional. His size and skill set have been crucial in our success this season. He leads the team in scoring, and his ability to create looks for himself and others has been remarkable.
Guest 2: I completely agree with Goran. Trey has been fantastic, but so have Mike Giomi and Jason Maile. They both bring experienced leadership to the team and have been instrumental in our defensive effort.
