Raquel Carrera: “I enjoy the most on the court in close matches”

The name of Raquel Carrera Quintana (Ourense, 2001) is on the lips of a good part of the basketball world, after her election as the most valuable player of the final of the Women’s League in which her Valencia Basket won for the first time. The Galician international multiplies her obvious qualities when it comes to the most transcendent events and, considering her youth and projection, it’s no surprise that the WNBA has turned to her. Even a little hoarse, after several intense dates, he reflected on his feelings for La Voz after the triumph in Taronja.

— Does the taste of the regular championship differ from the previous titles you won?

– That’s right. Although in the end you risk in the qualifications, it is a reward for the work of the whole year, in which already during the pre-season we started to have problems with injuries and logical ups and downs. But it makes it all the more exciting and for me it’s the most special win we could have achieved, without a doubt.

— And in decisive matches, she usually appears in a prominent role, as indicated by the award for the best player in the final.

— I am very competitive and I always fight to win. Maybe that’s why I enjoy the most difficult matches on the field. And more in this team, where I’m very comfortable, with some great teammates and a great coach. Everything is easier that way.

— Did you imagine such quick results for that bet you accepted when you were only 17 years old?

—This club is an ideal place for growth, they really care that we have all the facilities at our disposal. Our sponsor, Juan Roig, has dedicated himself to this project, so that the quality of services is maximal and so that everyone can focus on their mission, whether on or off the track. The facilities are luxurious, and the structure is getting stronger at all levels.

—You have another challenge with the Spanish team in the summer with the Eurobasket in Israel and Slovenia.

– There will be time for the holidays. I will be able to have at least a month, but we are all driven by the desire to be with the national team, which is led by the Galician Miguel Méndez. Those of us who have been in previous invitations know that we have a chance to win something and we must try in this competition. Our league raises its quality from year to year and the youngest ones gain experience, in addition, the work of the lower category teams is important. It will be a very attractive European one this year.

“Do you now remember the quiet efforts to recover from your first major injury?”

— It is something that cannot be seen from the outside, but can only be overcome with a lot of work. It was not easy and, as I said before, I, like the other players in the team, had to work hard at the beginning of the season, after several months of recovery. You have to grow little by little and it takes more time than you would like to get back into the rhythm of competing against other teammates and rivals.

— Will you have time to return home to celebrate all the achievements of this course with yours?

– As soon as I get the chance, I will return to Ourense, because there are many people I want to see, even for a few days. There are always fewer of them than I would like, but I am lucky that my parents and brother go to Valencia several times and I can have them close.

“The WNBA attracts me, but I am focused on Valencia”

Ourense’s Raquel Carrera has already made several WNBA news appearances without appearing in the enclaves of the North American tournament. After his pick fifteenth in 2021, the Atlanta Dream’s second option, his rights were transferred last summer to the New York Liberty, a franchise very interested in his progress and his competitiveness.

— Have you asked your former teammate Rebecca Allen or another acquaintance what life is like on the Brooklyn circuit?

— I admit that I am attracted to the WNBA, but I am focused on Valencia, with whom I have a contract until 2025, after the extension. Yes, I would love to be able to play in the United States one day and it was a great illusion to see that Atlanta chose me. Then my rights went to New York and it is true that I would like to be a part of that, looking at the team they have this year, but I am committed to other very nice challenges that I have here, both with the club and the national team.

— Do you have the Euroleague between your eyebrows after everything you have achieved with the club?

— Achieving that place for the next edition was very important for the team and we achieved that with the league title. We showed that we can compete very well in that tournament. Leaving another opportunity at the door would hurt us, so we are all very motivated to go a little further this time.

— After scoring the free throws that won his team the EuroCup, he said his illusion was greater than the pressure to make them.

— I’m still excited, I dedicate myself to what I’m most passionate about and every year I have goals to fight for and things to improve as a player and as a person. I keep many reasons to play with the same passion.