Carlos Martínez concludes his time with the 3×3 National Team

Carlos Martínez has announced his farewell to the Spanish 3x3 National Team through his social media. The announcement comes after his participation in the World Championship in Warsaw, the last official tournament with the national jersey. With 41 international matches played, the player is positioned as the third Spaniard with the most appearances in the national team, surpassed only by Nacho Martín (48) and Sergio de la Fuente (44). His decision is due to the desire to focus on other personal and professional goals, closing a five-year chapter that transformed the landscape of 3x3 basketball in Spain.

A pioneer who embraced specialization

Martínez represents a generation of players who decided to leave conventional basketball to specialize in the 3x3 format. His career in 5x5 basketball included a debut in the EuroLeague with Baskonia in January 2014 and a subsequent incorporation into the ACB Endesa League in March 2015. He also participated in FEB training competitions, playing four seasons in Primera FEB with teams like Leyma Coruña, CB Clavijo, and Unión Financiera Oviedo, as well as two campaigns in Segunda FEB.

However, his most daring move was the definitive leap to 3x3. He became one of the first Spanish players to fully commit to this Olympic modality, leaving traditional basketball behind. His international career in 3x3 led him to compete with teams from India, Thailand, and Vietnam, before settling in Lausanne, a Swiss team with which he participated in his first World Tour in 2022. For years he was the only regular Spanish player on the international circuit, accumulating almost all the points necessary for Spain to compete in FIBA tournaments.

Dominance in the FIBA ranking and international tournaments

Martínez's position in the FIBA ranking was crucial for the development of Spanish 3x3 basketball. For four consecutive seasons, from 2022 to 2025, he maintained his status as the number one Spanish player in the world ranking. This status allowed him to be the player with the most World Tour tournaments played nationally, establishing himself as Spain's main supporter in international competition.

His debut with the Spanish 3x3 National Team occurred at the Pre-European Championship in Tel Aviv in 2021, alongside Nacho Martín, Javi Vega, and Sergi Pino. Since then, he participated in significant competitions such as the European Games in Krakow in 2023 and the Olympic Pre-qualifying Tournament in Debrecen in 2024. In this last event, Spain had a strong tournament before falling to Lithuania, although they later managed to qualify for the European Championship in Vienna, returning to a continental tournament after five years of absence.

The year of glory: world champion in 2025

2025 marked the peak of Martínez's career with the national team. Thanks largely to his points in the FIBA ranking, Spain qualified for the World Cup. What happened next exceeded all expectations. After an irregular first phase with two wins and two losses, the national team staged a spectacular comeback in the final phase. They eliminated Australia in the play-in, defeated China in the quarter-finals, overcame Germany in the semi-finals, and claimed the title in the grand final against Switzerland.

With this victory, Spain was proclaimed world champion in 3x3, achieving its first medal in official FIBA international tournaments in this modality. Martínez, as the team captain, lifted the trophy in Mongolia, placing Spain at the top of world 3x3 basketball. This feat represented the second gold medal in international competitions for the Spanish 3x3 team, following the European Games in Baku in 2016.

Months later, in March, the team shone again by winning silver at the Champions Cup in Bangkok, demonstrating the consistency of the project. Martínez thus accumulated two international medals in the modality: the world gold and the continental silver, solidifying his legacy as a key figure in the rise of Spanish 3x3 basketball.

Legacy and recognition from FEB

Elisa Aguilar, president of the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), has publicly acknowledged Martínez's significance in the development of the modality. According to her words, the player is "the symbol of the growth of Spanish men's 3x3 basketball." Aguilar highlighted that he was the first to embrace specialization, a pioneer in competing with teams outside of Spain, and the biggest supporter of the national team for several years in the international ranking.

Martínez's message upon announcing his retirement reflects his emotional connection with the national jersey. "Defending this jersey has been the greatest honor of my career," he expressed, adding that he says goodbye with "endless gratitude towards the Federation and its president Elisa, towards my teammates, and everyone who has made this journey unforgettable." The player concluded his statement by emphasizing that "the effort is worth it regardless of the outcome" and that "there are always dreams to be fulfilled."

His retirement from the national team marks the end of an era in Spanish 3x3 basketball, but his contribution will remain a reference for future generations. Martínez has paved the way for other players considering specialization in this modality, demonstrating that it is possible to achieve global success by leaving traditional basketball behind. His legacy transcends numbers and medals: it represents the vision of a sport that grows, evolves, and creates opportunities for those who dare to innovate.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Carlos Martínez cierra su etapa en la Selección 3×3