NCAA Takes a New Step, Bringing in Prospects Mid-Season

Lucas Langarita has officially left Casademont Zaragoza to continue his development in the United States. The 19-year-old Aragonese guard, trained at the club since his youth, reached an agreement with management to terminate his contract that ran until 2027. However, Zaragoza retains his ACB rights for a potential future return.

The Spanish wing Lucas Langarita has committed to the University of Utah and will immediately join the program. Sources tell Eurohopes pic.twitter.com/5ckxvNkkXo

— Eurohopes (@Eurohopes) December 24, 2025

A Promising Talent Who Dominated Liga U22

Langarita was one of the most prominent players in the new Liga U22, a competition reserved for youth teams created this season. The young Spaniard was averaging over 16 points per game and was clearly above the level of this league, as evidenced by his 31-point performance against Malaga a few weeks ago in Alhaurín de la Torre.

U19 World Champion in 2023 and member of the All-Tournament Team at the U17 World Cup held in Málaga in 2022, Langarita had not managed to establish himself permanently in Zaragoza’s professional roster. This situation pushed him to seek new opportunities overseas, where he will play at the University of Utah.

In a moving farewell letter to the Marea Roja, the Zaragoza supporters’ group, the player stated:

« I arrived at this club practically as a child, with great hopes and many dreams to fulfill, and I leave having become a player and, above all, a much more mature person. Here I learned values that go far beyond basketball: daily effort, consistency, respect, the importance of teamwork, and the ability to bounce back after defeats. »

The Exodus of Young Talent to NCAA Intensifies

Langarita’s departure perfectly illustrates Liga U22’s inability to retain young European prospects. This new competition, created to provide playing time for young talents, cannot compete with the attractiveness of the NCAA and its astronomical salaries.

Other talents will follow this path next season, such as Marcus Moller who has already committed to the University of Michigan, or Arturas Butajevas who will also join American college basketball. Even players who have already experienced professional basketball, like James Nnaji who will play at Baylor University after his time at FC Barcelona, now choose this option to revitalize their careers, including mid-season. The novelty is seeing players join university programs for the second semester.