Barcelona are preparing for a major restructuring of their basketball department, with Chevi Puyol set to become the club’s new leading figure in the section and Turkish scout Kuzay Kılıc also expected to arrive.
The changes come after three successive seasons without a trophy and will affect both the club’s basketball leadership and the playing squad. More than two-thirds of last season’s players have left the Palau Blaugrana as Barcelona begin one of the most extensive rebuilds in the club’s recent history.
The new project is expected to include Sisco Puyol, Chevi Puyol, Aleksandar Sekulic, Justin Robinson, Agos Opal and Tyrese Martin. Several of those players lack extensive experience of European basketball, making the next phase a significant change in direction for a side whose previous project had lost its way.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona are preparing to announce Chevi Puyol’s appointment within the next few hours. He is expected to become the most influential figure in the club’s new basketball structure.
Puyol arrives after an impressive season with Baskonia. Before that, he worked with Manresa, where he was described as the main architect behind the successes achieved by the club at the Nou Congost.
Navarro given ambassadorial role
Juan Carlos Navarro will remain at Barcelona in a new position after being away from the formation of the club’s new sporting project in recent weeks.
The former Barcelona great will become an ambassador for the basketball team and act as a mentor to young players within the club’s academy system.
The changes are not expected to end there. Journalist Oscar Hereros has reported that Barcelona will strengthen their sporting structure by appointing Turkish scout Kuzay Kılıc.
Despite being only 26, Kılıc has built a strong reputation in European basketball and gained notable experience through his work with several leading clubs across the continent.
Sport reports that his move to Barcelona has been agreed after he ended his association with Dubai Basketball, where he worked as part of the coaching staff until the end of last season. Barcelona are expected to confirm the appointment officially in the coming days.
The club’s officials regard Kılıc’s arrival as particularly important because they believe the scouting role was a missing element in the basketball department’s structure.
Barcelona consider the appointments of Kılıc and Chevi Puyol to be decisive steps in rebuilding the project and restoring a clear direction to the team.
The club has opted for a new approach after a trophyless three-year period, accepting an element of risk by recruiting players who are not yet highly experienced in European basketball.
With major changes taking place in both the squad and the department overseeing it, Barcelona are attempting to establish a new foundation for the future. The expected appointments of Puyol and Kılıc form a central part of that plan, while Navarro’s new ambassadorial and mentoring duties will provide continuity through the club’s academy.
The scale of the turnover underlines the extent of the reset at the Palau Blaugrana. More than two-thirds of last season’s squad have departed, while a group of newcomers is being assembled around a new sporting structure intended to put Barcelona’s basketball team back on the right track.