Born in Madrid, Spain, Guillermo Gustavo “Willy” Hernangómez is among the new generation of Basketball athletes who have heavily contributed to European Basketball’s popularity in the past five years. An early junior recruit by Real Madrid, Willy played for their B team where he steadily developed, learned more skills and gained a significant knowledge about the game’s competitive nature.
Between 2011 and 2015, Willy followed a tough career path where he balanced his League and national team obligations without compromising his dedication to Basketball. He got his career’s big break after being drafted into the NBA where he crafted a decent career that spanned nine seasons and includes some of his best performances on the global stage.
While his professional career deserves all the praise, his time playing for the National team has had more impact but gets underrated.
Willy Hernangómez National Team
Willy Hernangómez represents Spain during International competitions. Hernangómez’s first international tournament for Spain was the 2010 U16 EuroBasket where he scored 9.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. The 24th edition had some of the best young stars displaying their potential and Willy was among them, finishing as the fourth most productive rebounder.
His next appearance for Spain came in the 2011 U18 EuroBasket. Willy’s contributions of 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game helped Spain to win their third U18 EuroBasket title. Willy came back the next year with an improved game and averaged 14 points, six rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks.
In the 2013 U19 World Championship, Willy averaged 10.9 points, 5.4 boards, and 0.7 rejections in nine games to help Spain get the fifth spot. He played just over fifteen minutes per game and showed enough potential to be a mainstay for team Spain going forward.
Willy was part of the Spanish team during the 2014 U20 EuroBasket. Keeping his scoring momentum going, he put up 12.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks in ten games. Team Spain faced early upsets with only two wins in four games.
However, the Spaniards regained their momentum and reached the finals, finishing second place after a closely-contested loss against Turkey. After the tournament, Willy was selected for the All-Tournament team.
Hernangomez debuted for the Senior team at the 2015 EuroBasket, performing in only six games with an average of 3.7 points, 1.2 boards, and 0.5 rejections. Come 2016, he improved during the Rio Olympics with 6.9 points, and 2.9 boards per game.
Between 2015 and 2023, Hernangómez played in three EuroBasket Championships, two Summer Olympics, one World Cup, and one World Cup qualifier. He is a regular fixture for his National team and takes pride in donning the iconic red and yellow whenever he can.
FAQs
A. Hernangómez is 6 feet 11 inches tall.
A. Willy Hernangómez is a Center who can also play as a Power forward.
A. Willy was picked 35th overall in the 2015 NBA draft and played seven seasons in the NBA.
A. His wingspan measures 7 feet 3 inches in length.
A. Willy Hernangomez plays for Spain national team.
