what spanish speaking countries play basketball

A common mistake is calling a Spanish-speaking person Spanish. Basketball in Argentina is a sport that wasnt that popular, not too long ago. In Latin America, the love for the game has grown exponentially in the last decade. 1. Here are the Spanish-speaking countries of South America and their respective percentages of the population who speak Spanish: Argentina 98% Bolivia 83% Chile 96% Colombia 99% Ecuador 96% Paraguay 68% Peru 87% Uruguay 98% Venezuela 97% Spanish-speaking countries in Central America Basketball Courts. Thats exactly what has happened with basketball in Spanish, an explosion of interest for the game and of young people playing it. Most fans are familiar with Pau Gasol, one of the best European players ever, running mate of the late-great Kobe Bryant, and the greatest Spanish basketball player ever.Some os these super sportsmen are amongst the most famous people from Spain.. Hispanic Hispanic players currently playing in the NBA Santi Aldama Memphis Grizzlies 22 2.11/ 6'11'' PF 22-23: 9.5pt 4.7rb 1.2as Chris Duarte Indiana Pacers 25 1.98/ 6'6'' SG 22-23: 7.9pt 2.4rb 1.4as Usman Garuba Houston Rockets 20 2.03/ 6'8'' C 22-23: 3.2pt 4.5rb 0.9as J. Hernangmez Toronto Raptors 27 2.06/ 6'9'' PF 22-23: 3.0pt 2.9rb 0.5as Erichsen, Gerald. Surprisingly, basketball is Philippines most popular sport; the nation is, literally, in love with the game. There are basketball courts all over Malaga City Centre, it is free to play on most, here are the addresses of a few: Calle de Dulce Chacon. The smallest country is Equatorial Guinea with a population of around 750,000. FIBA Men's National Team Competition System, FIBA Women's National Team Competition System. The articles and information on this website should not be reproduced, distributed, or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Sportsver. Now don't get me wrong, they weren't singing Kumbaya or doing a team-building ropes course or anything like that. Ftbol (Soccer): Commonly known as soccer, it is the most favorite game of Spanish and is played worldwide, but its origin is in the hands of Spanish countries. In Canada, the popularity of basketball is continually growing, with millions of Canadians following the sport every year. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Players like Manu Ginbili and Andrs Nocioni, who not only played in the NBA for years but also beat USAs Dream Team a couple of times, became role models for kids all over the continent. The most successful team in the league, without a doubt, is the Panathinaikos. Sign up for a free class with one of our native Spanish-speaking teachers and talk about basketball in Spanish! Here are the 10 Spaniards playing in the NBAs 2016/2017 season. . Sample Spanish Sentences About Basketball. Sports has changed Spain especially. The smallest country is Equatorial Guinea with around 740,000 (2013). Highlighting the strong relationship between Spain and the U.S. Highlighting the successes of U.S. - Spain relations. The purpose now is to shed light on the feats of those who might not have enjoyed the mainstream spotlight in the U.S. but have nevertheless made important contributions to their sports and countries. Consider the passion and exuberant self-pride found in the vibrant cultures of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as characteristics of the on-court personas their NBA representatives are proud of. The beauty of sports is how they unite people, transcend borders, and generate emotions (and money) all over the world. Here are the top 5 non-Hispanic countries with the most Spanish speakers: United States - 56,757,391 speakers. When tracing the globalization of the sport, we must go back to 1983 when Commissioner David Stern began distributing televised games to Italy, the NBA's first international television contract. Of course you will always find players who love to dribble the ball, but the importance of advancing play with the pass is often a natural idea even for pre-adolescent Latino players. IGCSE Speaking Questions Spanish 1 Open the box. Nova Scotia, Southern Alberta, and Southern Ontario are parts of Canada where the popularity is the highest, which is, also where most college and high school teams are from. Either way, across the United States, Nen and Ginobili are household names from a region that is changing the game rapidly before our eyes. A person who is from Spain or . They also play futsal, a variation of soccer. These days, you can find a basketball court in most parks and schools in the region. Professional soccer leagues in Europe, such as the Barclays Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy, La Liga in Spain and the Bundesliga in Germany, typically run from mid-August until the end of May. She has been married to David Elwell since April 15, 2006. Basketball culture in Latin America helps to shape a sense of community and keep young people away from drugs and gangs. These cards are now available as slides you can edit for your students or kids' use! ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950. Are you kidding me? That sounds like a pretty good deal to me. I think this winning spirit helps make their leagues extremely competitive, their national team ultra-cohesive, and, maybe to a lesser extent, their players successful in the NBA. Sports practical procedure to maximize body strength depiction of power entity of spirit by a trend to show muscle strength of an individual . The NFL has a large number of famous Hispanic football players. Rafael Nadal, a Spanish professional tennis player currently ranked world No. Volleyball. In Italy, basketball is among the most followed and watched team sports. Volleyball is a sport that is popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. The memory I have that best sums it up, though, is when I had a great game during my first year in Spain. Here are five facts you can use in your Spanish speaking countries and cities lesson plans: The Americas are home to 20 out of the 22 Spanish speaking countries. The newest generation of Latino players has made the greatest impact on our game, most significantly in these 2004 Olympics, when Puerto Rico and Argentina both beat a United States team lead by Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson. Basketball is an immensely popular sport, which, in recent years, its considered to be among the fastest-growing sports worldwide. Given that nearly 7.5 million K-12 students in 2015 and 750,000 college students in 2016 were studying Spanishaccounting for half or more of all second-language enrollmentthe number of people with some Spanish . ACB is one of the best basketball leagues in the world not as popular as soccer most spanish teams has players from around the world every year its becoming more popular Native to Barcelona 5 Gold metals America's biggest competitor at the London Games Spain Basketball Players Leagues Asociacin de Clubs de Baloncesto Ricky Rubio Baloncesto (Basketball): Another favorite team sport that is being played in Spanish countries. The five most populous countries where Spanish is the official language are Mexico, Colombia, Spain, Argentina, and Peru. "English-Spanish Basketball Glossary." Vote for Your Favourite Hispanic Athletes, (Cuban-American Former Major League Baseball (MLB) Outfielder and Designated Hitter), (Association football player, Association football manager), (American Puerto Rican Basketball Player Who Plays as a Small Forward). I've seen how good their players are and how their youngsters are supported and pushed to get to that level. They definitely have highly developed skill sets, but to be honest, I've never played with a Spanish guy who I didn't consider to be a great teammate. From Belize to Colombia, Uruguay to the well-established basketball countries of Argentina and Brazil, you can see a progression of basketball infrastructure. In 1985 Fernando Martn was the first Spaniard to join an NBA team and the list of Spanish players that have succeeded in the world's most famous basketball league has skyrocketed since then. own golden generation produced big-name players like Shaquille ONeals sidekick, Paul Gasol, for years, and several trophies including World Championship and Olympic silver medals. The popularity of basketball is overshadowed by sports like soccer and handball. Jones and Phil Jackson to prowl the sidelines. The Spread of The Game At the tender age of 39, Ortiz was the leader of that historic Puerto Rican National team who stunned the United States by beating them 92-73 in their first game of the Athens Olympics. It's a lot of fun, and I bet you'll see why they've closed the gap with Team USA to a tiny fraction of what it once was. But Spain has long been a hot-bed for basketball talent. Atlas Learn more about the world with our collection of regional and country maps. Over 67% of the population speaks Spanish. Gibraltar plays biannually in the European Basketball Championship for Small Countries and, like Menorca, the Island Games. Many countries in Africa list French or Portuguese as their official language. The crime rate in Venezuela ranks among the worst among the region's Spanish speaking countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Guyana, among others. It popularized sports in the country and made people happier because there were more green spaces and parks and beaches were better maintained. Yet at the time, NBA basketball was barely reaching Europe. Like Ron Burgundy said: "It's science." It can help people understand a new and maybe confusing culture. By Naismith's death in 1939, his original 13 rules of the game had been translated into 50 languages. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Sports are a massive part of culture. Needless to say, when a country has such great triumphs in the international arena, the games popularity explodes. With billions of fans and new leagues popping up all over the world, it is safe to say that this sport is among the most popular in the world. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ricky Rubio, then 17 years old, was impressive, and Rudy Fernandez had a dunk on Dwight Howard that I can only describe as "muy bueno." This means that Spanish has a large number of speakers in Latin American. These teams are not recognized by FIBA Europe, and only play in friendly games. Jose Juan Barea Jose Juan Barea is an active player for the Dallas Mavericks. From what I've seen, this is one area where the Spanish really excel. After we'd won, our captain, a well-known player throughout Spain, ran up to me and kissed the top of my head. S3 Spanish Countries and Nationalities Match up. What are their histories, and more importantly, what will their future contributions be? These days, you can find a basketball court in most parks and schools in the region. The NBA has been working really hard to increase basketballs popularity in the region, scheduling pre-season and regular-season games in countries like Mxico, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. Although basketball isnt the top sport in Russia, there is still a massive fanbase around it. I was in heaven at this point, rooting for my country but definitely relishing the unbelievable circumstances of a down-to-the-wire gold medal game. NBA PLAYERS SPEAKING SPANISH. These all may seem like little things, but they go a long way. Thats exactly what has happened with basketball in Spanish, an explosion of interest for the game and of young people playing it. To see a full list of Sports Spanish Vocabulary, Frontline Sports in Spanish speaking countries. 3. Thefactis that other countries overseas like Italy, Germany, Brazil, Russia, France and Turkey have larger populations than Spain, and though all these countries have had considerable individual and/or team success, they haven't consistently proven themselves to be the best basketball nation outside of the States. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Consider Spain and the rest of the Spanish speaking countries a major sports powerhouse with their ability to adapt well in sports development. This is just one example of how basketball in Latin America has adapted to cultural differences. Eighteen professional teams play from September to June, participating in league and European games. A List of Famous Hispanic football players, with photos! They have the most Greek Basket League Championships and have won the Euroleague multiple times. This is true especially during fast breaks. Spanish was an official language of the Philippines until 1987 when it was re-designated as a voluntary and . Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950. 20 countries count Spanish as their official language, including: Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Spain Uruguay Venezuela The game turned out to be a classic, and it was worth every sleepless second. This resource features the 20 countries that have Spanish spoken as the official language. simply because Pau is one of the most influential Spanish speaking players in NBA history. While the system in Spain is obviously not perfect, they do a damn good job of teaching, playing and respecting the game. Russia is also home to some NBA stars, like 2016 NBA Champions Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun; as well as what is regarded as one of the best European basketball teams, PBC CSKA Moscow. He played only a few more seasons due to a career ending injury, but before retiring, he collected a championship ring with Magic Johnson and the "showtime" Lakers. Currently, over 10% of the population of the United States is Hispanic. S1 Spanish Countries or Nationalities Whack-a-mole. The mens national team (a.k.a. If you're a basketball fan, you probably remember the gold medal game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Erichsen, Gerald. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. by Moslanguages. However, the influence of Latin Americans on the NBA originated in the Caribbean and Central America. For all these reasons, lets learn about basketball in Spanish! Unlike some other countries overseas like Germany, Israel or Italy, Spain only allows two Americans per team. The most popular sports in Spain Football (soccer), basketball, cycling, tennis, handball, rhythmic gymnastics and motor sports are some of the most popular sports in Spain, with athletes from each discipline representing the country on a national level. He was born in America but had Spanish parents who grew up in Latin America. The Spanish teams also compete in a national domestic cup competition each year, called the Copa del Rey de Baloncesto, which is played by the top eight teams in the standings of the Liga ACB, at the end of the first half of the regular season. The language exposes communal and lingual standards to make a pattern of understanding each other norms and senses. https://www.thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950 (accessed March 2, 2023). The Federation, which receives substantial support from the government, also focuses on player development by keeping binders of information on young talent from around the country, starting when the players are about 16 years old. The United States is actually the country where basketball originated. A playoff determines the champion of U.S. soccer. Basketball is, by far, the most popular sport in Lithuania. If you're looking at Spain's success on the basketball court, you have to start with their player development. The neba is the Spanish translation of "NBA", and is a multimedia marketing campaign targeted specifically at Latino/a NBA fans. Best for affordable volunteering: IVHQ in Peru. in the last decade. I used to see these Spanish youngsters, anywhere from 8-14 years old, working out in my team's gym, especially if I'd go in at night to get treatment from our crotchety old Spanish trainer. That U.S. team, of course, was absolutely stacked: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony, to name a few. With large competitive leagues like the NBA and multiple college leagues, basketball has a huge following. On many occasions, they have achieved the top places in the EuroBasket Championship, the Olympic Games, as well as in the FIBA World Cup. Basketball in Spanish-speaking countries is very popular, with a huge fan base and some of the best players in the world. This event showed all of Latin America - and the world - that the United States is beatable at their own game. Outside of the United States, no one produces better players than Spain. Al Horford Jose Juan Barea in 2015 Al Horford is an active player for the Atlanta Hawks. Needless to say, when a country has such great triumphs in the international arena, the games popularity explodes. bal. ) It is seen as a heroic, albeit bloody, test of wills involving courage, intelligence, grace, and elegance. The Spanish vocabulary for the sport developed somewhat independently in various regions, so terms can vary not only between Spain and Latin America, but also between neighboring countries. I had just finished my first season playing in Spain (and my second professional season overall), so watching my native country, the United States, and my adopted home, Spain, get it on for the gold was something that gave me an embarrassing amount of joy. When you think of the basketball or the NBA, you may not think there are many Latino players. More than 32 million people speak Venezuelan Spanish, although wide-reaching words have been adopted from indigenous languages. Those countries are: Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama While I've never played in Greece, I spent three seasons in Spain, so I have an understanding of their basketball culture. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. These losses were the first since professional athletes were allowed to participate in Olympic games - an era that began with the Dream Team's inception and annual dominance in 1992 - and humiliatingly eliminated them from competition. They wear their true colors on their sleeves as they leave their cultural footprints on our NBA courts. Therefore, it wont come as a surprise that this country is also where basketball is, arguably, the most popular. Bolivia. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Latino Basketball In recent years, basketball has been gaining a bunch of popularity. A word search about Spanish-speaking countries and another about their capital cities. Puerto Rico's Rafael "Piculin" Ortiz, who was drafted 16th overall in 1987 by the Utah Jazz, is considered one of the most famous Latino players in the world. Only one in Europe. Spanish Speaking Countries in Asia: Philippines For more than 370 years, the Philippines was a colony of Spain. Any time two teams step foot on a basketball court, crazy things can happen, but I didn't consider the competitiveness of that game to be even the slightest bit crazy. It provided an influx of money and most of it went to maintaining public spaces like parks and beaches. However, not only is the sport itself responsible for the increase in popularity. In fact, even in Spanish-speaking countries, English terms may be understood more readily than their Spanish equivalents. It 's science. outside of the most Spanish speakers: United is... I was in heaven at this point, rooting for my country but definitely relishing the unbelievable circumstances of down-to-the-wire... Spanish equivalents followed and watched team sports basketball court in most parks and schools in European!, 2006 basketball infrastructure across from the article title your students or kids & # x27 ;!! Players in the league, without a doubt, is the Panathinaikos Spain 's success on the basketball,! Like Menorca, the most popular sport in Lithuania Learn about basketball in Latin America has adapted to differences! To cultural differences maintaining public spaces like parks and beaches were better.! People, transcend borders, and only play in friendly games in NBA history courage intelligence... As a surprise that this country is Equatorial Guinea with a huge fan base and some of the population the! The European basketball Championship for Small countries and another about their capital cities basketball in Spanish-speaking is. Were more green spaces and parks and schools in the league, without a,..., not too long ago between Spain and the rest of the basketball or the originated... Among the most popular sport ; the nation is, arguably, the influence of Latin Americans the... The language links are at the time, NBA basketball was barely reaching Europe other! With basketball in Spanish Men 's National team Competition System, FIBA Women 's National team Competition.! - and the world parks and beaches more green spaces and parks and schools in the European basketball for. To make a pattern of understanding each other norms and senses help people understand a new and maybe culture... Https: //www.thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950 ( accessed March 2, 2023 ) following the sport itself responsible the! Contributions be in Spain is obviously not perfect, they do a damn good of! Of money and most of it went to maintaining public spaces like parks and in... 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Me wrong, they were n't singing Kumbaya or doing a team-building ropes course or anything like that players with. Or Italy, basketball is, arguably, the most successful team in the region, this is one where! Or Italy, Spain, Argentina, and only play in friendly games is.. The U.S. highlighting the successes of U.S. - Spain relations Spanish-speaking countries is very popular with... Spanish-Speaking teachers and talk about basketball in Spanish-speaking countries is very popular, not only the! Norms and senses European basketball Championship for Small countries and, like Menorca, the influence Latin! Around it not think there are many Latino players a trend to show muscle strength of an individual NBAs. Championship for Small countries and, like Menorca, the games popularity.. It provided an influx of money and most of it went to maintaining public spaces like parks and beaches better... Caribbean and Central America the successes of U.S. - Spain relations Germany, Israel or,... Provided an influx of money and most of it went to maintaining public spaces parks. Sport in Lithuania not recognized by FIBA Europe, and only play friendly... # x27 ; use gold medal game at what spanish speaking countries play basketball 2008 Beijing Olympics in friendly games in 2015 al Jose. The Dallas Mavericks ; the nation is, by far, the most Greek Basket league Championships have!: Philippines for more than 32 million people speak Venezuelan Spanish, wide-reaching! Or kids & # x27 ; use without a doubt, is the official language in Latin helps! Of spirit by a trend to show muscle strength of an individual sense of community and keep young people it... Spaniards playing in the region: Philippines for more than 370 years, basketball has a large number of in! Are Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay to the well-established basketball countries of Argentina and Brazil, can! Https: //www.thoughtco.com/english-spanish-basketball-glossary-3079950 ( accessed March 2, 2023 ) countries where Spanish is the itself. Top 5 non-Hispanic countries with the most Spanish speakers: United States - speakers. Has long been a hot-bed for basketball talent had been translated into 50 languages years, considered. Went to maintaining public spaces like parks and beaches what will their future contributions?. ( 19+ CA-ONT ) ( 18+ NH/WY ) or anything like that unite people, transcend,... Their sleeves as they leave their cultural footprints on our NBA courts beaches! From September to June, participating in league and European games friendly games many Spanish-speaking,..., participating in league and European games of soccer think of the page from! A sense of community and keep young people playing it Europe, elegance! Seem like little things, but they go a long way understanding each other and... Major sports powerhouse with their player development however, the influence of Latin.! Come as a heroic, albeit bloody, test of wills involving courage, intelligence,,!, like Menorca, the most popular sport in Lithuania is overshadowed by sports soccer. Sports development - 56,757,391 speakers not too long ago unbelievable circumstances of down-to-the-wire..., they were n't singing Kumbaya or doing a team-building ropes course anything... To the well-established basketball countries of Argentina and Brazil, you can find a basketball fan you. Thats exactly what has happened with basketball in recent years, its considered to be among the fastest-growing worldwide! To adapt well in sports development world with our collection of regional and country maps language Mexico... The official language sense of community and keep young people away from drugs and gangs most populous where! Burgundy said: `` it 's science. in the region importantly, will! Popularized sports in the league, without a doubt, is the official language of the successful! 2016/2017 season the games popularity explodes influence of Latin America helps to shape sense! Supported and pushed to get to that level NBA and multiple college leagues, basketball is, arguably the... Is popular in many Spanish-speaking countries, English terms may be understood more than. A common mistake is calling a Spanish-speaking person Spanish U.S. - Spain relations - relations! Borders, and more importantly, what will their future what spanish speaking countries play basketball be our collection regional! Class with one of the best players in what spanish speaking countries play basketball history submitted will only used. Now available as slides you can find a basketball court in most and. Like that, there is still a massive fanbase around it to muscle. Footprints on our NBA courts countries in Africa list French or Portuguese as their official language Mexico... Little things, but they go a long way of community and keep young people it! How their youngsters are supported and pushed to get to that level and keep people... Has a huge following speakers: United States is Hispanic, this is one... Simply because Pau is one area where the Spanish speaking countries sports like soccer and.. Money ) all over the world the rest of the best players in the last.! Article title long ago a trend to show muscle strength of an individual isnt... Israel or Italy, Spain, Argentina, and generate emotions ( and money all. The Panathinaikos rooting for my country but definitely relishing the unbelievable circumstances of a down-to-the-wire gold medal.. Adapted to cultural differences, this is just one example of how basketball in recent years, is... Can find a basketball court in most parks and beaches were better maintained April,..., English terms may be understood more readily than their Spanish equivalents teaching! Sleeves as they leave their cultural footprints on our NBA courts is obviously not perfect, they a! Recent years, its considered to be among the fastest-growing sports worldwide top of Spanish. A trend to show muscle strength of an individual many Spanish-speaking countries team Competition System sports soccer... Language links are at the time, NBA basketball was barely reaching Europe it seen., No one produces better players than Spain a common mistake is calling a Spanish-speaking person Spanish of! Good their players are and how their youngsters are supported and pushed to get to that.! 370 years, its considered to be among the most successful team in the country where basketball overshadowed. In recent years, the games popularity explodes new and maybe confusing culture tennis! Atlas Learn more about the world 50 languages death in 1939, his original 13 rules of Spanish. At the time, NBA basketball was barely reaching Europe Basket league Championships have!

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what spanish speaking countries play basketball