Invited speakers

Sergio J. Ibáñez Godoy

Full Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences of the University of Extremadura. Listed among the top 2% most influential researchers in the world in Sport Sciences in the Stanford–Elsevier 2026 ranking.

Maribel Piñar

PhD in Physical Education and Senior Lecturer in Basketball at the Faculty of Sport Sciences of the University of Granada. She coordinated the Common Core book for Level I and II coaching courses and wrote several chapters of the Andalusian Basketball Federation's specific syllabus. Her research focuses on basketball performance analysis, rule modification and load monitoring to improve training.

A basketball coach with experience coaching, coordinating and managing teams and clubs at youth level (men's and women's) and professional level (men's and women's): EBA, Liga Femenina 2 and Liga Challenge. Coach of Spain's women's youth national teams (U15, U16, U18 and U23).

Curro Segura

Graduate in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. In more than 20 seasons as head coach in Europe, Asia and the Americas he has coached in the Liga Endesa ACB, LEB Oro, the Chinese CBA, Venezuela's LPB, Greece's GBL and the senior national teams of Kuwait and Venezuela. His achievements include three promotions to the ACB (Menorca 2005, CAI Zaragoza 2008, Real Betis 2019), the 2008 LEB Oro title and an all-time LEB Oro record of 30 wins and 4 losses, with 18 straight wins. In 2025-26 he coaches Promitheas Patras in the Greek Basketball League.

Mauro Sánchez Sánchez

Lecturer at the Faculty of Sport Sciences of the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM). A coach at every level of basketball, above all in school-age sport, convinced that basketball can help families raise better people and better citizens. He directs UCLM's «La Fábrica de Valores» programme, which pursues all-round education through basketball, and, with the Castilla-La Mancha Basketball Federation, the UCLM programme for «Promoting basketball and health among schoolchildren in Castilla-La Mancha» through the Quijo3x3 educational scheme.

Octavio Álvarez

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Psychology at the University of Valencia, where he leads the Advanced Research Group in the Psychology of Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise (GIAPAFED).

His professional work has focused on elite sport, as a sport psychologist for public bodies and professional teams in more than 50 sports at international level (European, Pan American and World championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games). In the 2015-16 season he was the psychologist of Valencia Basket's ACB squad.

Alberto Lorenzo Calvo

Full Professor at the Technical University of Madrid. His research has focused on the development of expertise in basketball, from quantitative approaches (talent identification, relative age, birthplace) and qualitative ones (expert coaching, transitions and retirement). He has 36 years of coaching experience at every level, including the ACB, the LEB and national teams, and has worked with the Spanish Basketball Federation as U20 head coach and U16-U20 technical coordinator.

Enrique Ortega

Full Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences of the University of Murcia. He leads the Human Movement and Sport Science research group (HUMSE), chairs the international Sport Performance Analysis Association (SPAA) and heads the University of Murcia's Sports Service.

His research seeks to improve teaching and training in sport, especially at youth level, through developmental competition, modified rules and competitions, and the design of new sports equipment.

Isabel Castillo

Full Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Valencia and a member of its Advanced Research Group in the Psychology of Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise (GIAPAFED) and its Physical Activity and Health Promotion group (AFIPS). Her research focuses on the motivational processes involved in physical activity and sport and on health promotion. She specialises in the main agents of sport socialisation: coaches, teachers and parents.

Julio Calleja

Full Professor at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (on leave). Director of Health and Performance at Dubai Basketball, a professional EuroLeague team. Spanish Olympic Committee. Lecturer at the Spanish Basketball Federation's coaching school. He was Serge Ibaka's performance director from 2017 to 2023 (NBA champion).

Sergio Valdeolmillos

Graduate in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and professional basketball coach, currently at Petro de Luanda (Angola). He has been head coach of Mexico's national team and of several Mexican clubs, as well as ACB teams such as Granada, Andorra, Gipuzkoa Basket and Estudiantes.

María Reina

PhD in Sport Sciences with ten years of experience as a basketball strength and conditioning coach and in injury rehabilitation. Strength and conditioning coach for Cáceres Basket and the Spanish national basketball team. CEO of Fit the Mood.

Miguel Ángel Gómez Ruano

Full Professor at the Technical University of Madrid and a specialist in sport performance analysis. His research focuses on performance indicators, contextual factors and the use of advanced statistics and artificial intelligence in sport.

Víctor Duque

Lecturer at the University of Antioquia and primary school teacher in Medellín (Colombia). Basketball coach in Colombia. Author of the thesis «Análisis de las emociones y el baloncesto en el contexto escolar y deportivo» (2023).

Maite Fuentes Azpiroz

PhD in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences from the UPV/EHU and Senior Lecturer in basketball at its Faculty of Education and Sport. A former international basketball player, she coaches youth teams.

Alejandro Vaquera

Full Professor at the University of León, Visiting Professor at the University of Worcester (UK) and FIBA's worldwide head of physical preparation for referees.

David Cárdenas

Full Professor at the University of Granada.

Thiago José Leonardi

State University of Campinas (Brazil).