Dani Díez

Dani Díez
No. 33 – Gipuzkoa Basket

Position	Forward
League	ACB League Euroleague
Personal information
Born	(1993-04-07) April 7, 1993 Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
Pro career	2010–present
Career history
2010–2012	Real Madrid B
2012–present	Real Madrid
2012–2013	→Lagun Aro GBC (loan)
2014–present	→Gipuzkoa Basket (loan)

Daniel Díez de la Faya (born April 7, 1993) is a Spanish professional basketball player who plays for Gipuzkoa Basket, on loan from Real Madrid of the ACB League.

He is considered one of the most promising young talents of European basketball and one of the best international players of his generation (1993),^[1]^[2] as well as a prospect for the 2015 NBA draft.^[3]

He has played 7 times with the Spain national basketball team.^[4]

Professional career

Dani Díez is a smart, competitive and solid player. He's a great defender and rebounder, and he's able to score in a number of ways offensively, as he can shoot the three, runs the floor well, and has a very high basketball IQ.

He started his playing career in 2005 in the U-14 Adecco Estudiantes, team that left to join the U-18 Real Madrid Baloncesto in 2009.

The following season, 2009/10, he debuted in the Real Madrid Baloncesto B in LEB Plata League.

During the 2011/12 season he becomes a crucial player in the Real Madrid Baloncesto B, coached by Alberto Angulo, and also began to train and travel with the Real Madrid first team. Díez finally debuts at ACB League in the match against Assignia Manresa played on 18/12/2011.

In June 2012 he was invited to the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso (Italy), one of Europe's best showcase for young players. Dani Diez completed a fantastic tournament, scoring 16 points in the final game, and was named the Eurocamp's top small forward.^[5]

During the 2012/13 season he played for ACB League's Lagun Aro GBC, on loan. In the preseason he was one of the most outstanding players of his new team, averaging 10.2 points and 4 rebounds. In Week 5 of the Spanish League he gets his personal best score with 17 points.

In the summer of 2013 he returns to Real Madrid, to become one of the 12 players of the Spanish League champions and Euroleague runners-up. On August, 27, Díez started the preparation for the pre-season along with his teammates.^[6] On October, 5, they obtain the first title of the season, the Spanish Supercup, by defeating Barcelona in the final 83 to 79.

On September 2014, Díez was loaned again to Gipuzkoa Basket.^[7] He was named MVP of week 20 of the 2014–15 ACB season, after obtaining 32 points and 36 in PIR against BC Andorra.

Teams

2005/07 ESP U-14 Adecco Estudiantes
2007/09 ESP U-16 MMT Estudiantes
2009/10 ESP U-18 Real Madrid Baloncesto - He played 1 game in LEB Plata League.
2010/12 ESP EBA. Real Madrid Baloncesto B - He played 3 games in Liga ACB.
2012/13 ESP ACB. Lagun Aro GBC, on loan.
2013/14 ESP ACB/Euroleague. Real Madrid.
2014/15 ESP ACB. Gipuzkoa Basket, on loan.

Spanish national team

In 2009 he won the gold medal with the Spanish national team in the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship.

In July 2010 he played at the 2010 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, in Hamburg (Germany). He was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Spanish team, averaging 12.9 points and 7 rebounds per game.^[8]

In the summer of 2011 he won the gold medal at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, being selected in the All-Tournament Team. He averaged 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game over the competition.^[9]

In July 2012 he played with the Spanish national team and obtained the Bronze Medal in the 2012 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Despite being only 19 years old, he was selected in the All-Tournament Team, averaging 14.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, with a 56% field goal percentage.^[10] Diez was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Spanish team, playing both the forward and power forward positions.^[11]

In the summer of 2013 he won again the Bronze Medal in the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Dani Díez continued to improve his game, being the most important player of the Spanish team and member of the All-Tournament Team for the 3rd consecutive year.^[12] His averages improved significantly compared to previous years, to 18.7 points (top scorer of the tournament) and 8.8 rebounds per game.^[13]

Dani Díez has played 7 times with the Spain national basketball team.^[14]