The first part of the 2022–23 NBA Regular Season saw several DNPs, but Juancho Hernangomez rebounded admirably and earned a spot in the Toronto Raptors’ starting lineup.

 

Hernangomez, 27, signed a one-year deal with the NBA’s only Canadian team. He continued the work of Marc Gasol, Sergio Scariolo, and Jose Calderon, previous connections between Spain and the Raptors. However, he waited to go into Nick Nurse’s rotation. He was prevented from assuming a regular role by the team’s injuries.

 

In a recent conversation with reporters in Toronto, he said, “It is upsetting, but every team got 18 guys. Nine or ten players participate in the game. You must continue to prepare yourself and work on the game. You never know when a chance will present itself.

 

He played an average of 22.2 minutes per game over the previous five games after finally having the chance to support his team. He was only allowed five significantly shorter appearances in the preceding 12 competitions.

 

As Hernangomez remembers earlier in his NBA career, “In the NBA, every year, many players go, and others come in. I have been in this situation before. The players who remain are the ones who continue to put in the effort, maintain their confidence, and stay prepared for opportunities to strike. It’s a challenging industry.

 

He became a key player for the revamped Spain team that won the gold medals at the 2022 EuroBasket after choosing to sign with the Raptors as an unrestricted free agency. In addition to his 27 points and 7/9 three-pointers in the championship game versus France, he also averaged 12.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.

 

Hernangomez played the role of fictional Spanish basketball player Bo Cruz in the American film Hustle, which was made in the offseason and was made available on Netflix in June.