Tenerife’s Marcos Pacheco Earns First Spain U21 3x3 National Team Call-Up
Tenerife-born basketball player Marcos Pacheco has earned his first national team call-up to the Spanish U21 3x3 squad following his successful collegiate career in the United States.
Canarian basketball is gaining international recognition following the Spanish Basketball Federation’s decision to call up Marcos Pacheco. The 19-year-old from Los Realejos has been named to the preliminary squad for the U21 3x3 team—a discipline that has become a key focus for the federation ahead of the upcoming Olympics. This selection, which includes a training camp in Madrid from June 8th to 11th, marks Pacheco’s first experience with the national team.
Pacheco’s success follows his development within the U.S. university system. Now finishing his third year at Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia, where he competes in NCAA Division II, he has found his rhythm after overcoming a nasal injury that sidelined him during his freshman year. Alongside his athletic progress, he has also excelled in his Mathematics degree, earning recognition for his academic achievements as he nears graduation next year.
His journey began in Tenerife’s local leagues, with stints at CB Realejos, CB Canarias—where he played in the Minicopa Endesa—Juventud Laguna, and Matanza. Standing 1.95 meters tall, the shooting guard is now weighing his professional future. Once he completes his degree, Pacheco plans to focus entirely on basketball, keeping his options open for a move to NCAA Division I or a professional career in Europe.
This call-up is a significant milestone for Pacheco and highlights how sports scholarships can serve as a vital pathway to elite competition. His transition from local courts to the national 3x3 program proves that he has successfully balanced the demands of high-level academics with a growing professional basketball career.