What’s at Stake: As Pau prepares to lead Spain against some of the world's toughest athletes, he looks back at his greatest inspirations and forward to his greatest challenges.

I guess it goes back to my dad, when I was growing up as a little kid. Me and my mom went to watch him play in a veteran team. I guess that's when I started getting interested in basketball. I wanted to play and imitate my dad. My mom used to play but I never watched her because she got pregnant and had to quit. I guess that's where I started and developed a good ability and passion for it.

I guess I just had more fun playing than I had playing soccer or doing any other sport. I felt I had better skills to play basketball, even though I was very skinny and lanky and tall at the time. Since I was 16 of 17 years old I was always very skinny. So, I guess I always had a better passion, stronger passion for playing basketball than soccer. I also enjoyed playing soccer but everyone was so small and so quick and even though I defended myself pretty well it just wasn't my sport.

I have some flashes and moments when I watched the NBA on TV in Spain. I don't remember much, I just remember watching it and just thinking it was a totally different level, totally different world in the NBA. So far out of reach of anybody in Europe. There weren't many Europeans at the time.

The Olympics is a great event to be in. It's an event that you can see all the sports in the world and all the athletes in the world at the highest level. So it's always an honor to be a part of it and defending your country in it. It's a big honor. I personally take a lot of pride being with my national team and trying to get medals and success for my country. So I'm definitely looking forward to it.

The Olympics and any international competition is going to be always very tough and teams compete hard. You never know who's going to be out there but always you know the United States is always a candidate to be the champion of the tournament. Argentina is always a tough team to play against. You know, they've always been up there. They already got the Olympic gold medal last time in Athens so we got to respect them a lot. They know how to play and they play tough. And then Russia, Lithuania, Greece, those teams are always very though. You never know. They put a good team together and they're hard to beat. I think those teams are going to be up there.

I always consider myself a competitor and winner. I love to win and hate losing. I don't handle it very well. It’s definitely like someone is stabbing me every time I lose a game. That's what pushes me through everyday. And also the fact that I want to prove that I'm one of the top elite players in the world. I have a whole country behind me that is supporting me and cheering for me and believing in me. So that's also a big plus and motivation.

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