Diego Niebla, Joventut's Rising Star, Joins Spain Training Camp

The FIBA window also brings a reward for the future. Diego Niebla, small forward for Asisa Joventut, will join Spain's training camp in Zaragoza and train with the national team during the preparation week for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers, according to an announcement by the Spanish Basketball Federation.

The distinction matters: he is not on the 14-man roster, which remains as announced following Aldama's withdrawal, but will participate as a training reinforcement—the classic path through which coaches reward and develop major prospects. For an 18-year-old player, sharing the court for a week with the senior national team is an achievement in itself.

A Standout Summer

The call rewards an outstanding summer. Niebla, a 2.02-meter Galician, was included in the All-Star Five of the last U-18 EuroBasket, and his previous season had already signaled his potential: 10.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in the U League, where he was among the most prominent small forwards in the category, and the leading scorer award at the Spanish Junior Championship. This trajectory places him among the biggest prospects in Spanish basketball of his generation.

The FEB and Chus Mateo thanked Joventut in the statement for their willingness and collaboration in facilitating his incorporation—a gesture that also reflects on the green-and-black club, the country's most productive academy... and also the most pursued, with Ruzic and Allen heading to the NCAA this very summer. That Niebla remains in Badalona, and that his next step is training with the senior team rather than a transfer portal move, is a small victory for the model.

Spain opens its window on Friday the 28th against Portugal in Zaragoza and visits Greece on Monday the 31st in Athens.