Since childhood, Lucía Chico had a clear goal: to study and play basketball in the United States. Today, after years of training and effort, that dream has become a reality. The young 18-year-old point guard will play and study Biomedical Engineering at Long Beach State next season, an opportunity she describes as "key" for her future.
The 1.68-meter tall player developed her skills at CB Araba, showcasing strong ball-handling and court vision, adept at finding the best options for her teammates. She highlights her "defense, teamwork, willingness to fight for every ball, and never giving up" as her strongest game attributes.
Following her family's basketball legacy, she started playing at the age of five. What began as an extracurricular activity soon became a passion she wanted to keep in her life forever. Her desire to join "a club" led her to CB Araba, where she found the necessary tools to pursue her ambition.
Under the guidance of two coaches, Ibon Sáenz de Lafuente and Eneko Fernández, she has competed in four Spanish championships across U13, U16, and U18 categories. Furthermore, her time with the Álava and Euskadi regional teams has been crucial for her physical and tactical development.
To realize her American dream, she connected with the agency Elite Sports Academy, which provided her with visibility and access to US college basketball, creating highlight videos and offering participation in various camps, some held in the United States, such as in Chicago and the Kentucky tournament.
Although she initially received an offer from Merrimack College, it did not materialize. However, in late May, Long Beach State extended a concrete offer after a video call with the coach. The university offers her the chance to play in NCAA Division I with a full scholarship.
The decision was made in consultation with her parents, David and Marta, and the advisors at Elite Sports Academy. She also received advice from former CB Araba players like Ane Valle and Nerea Hermosa.
She will balance basketball with her studies in Biomedical Engineering, a field she has always wanted to pursue. She has maintained a strong academic pace, achieving honors this academic year, and dedicating 100% to her training. Her goal is to complete her four years of university at the highest academic and athletic level.
While acknowledging the difficulty of making a living from professional basketball, she does not abandon her passion. "I have a great passion for basketball and for dedicating myself to it professionally, however difficult it may seem. I hope I can do it," she states, leaving the door open to competing at the highest level in the Women's League someday.
With an unspecified date for crossing the Atlantic, she will embark on a new chapter away from home this summer, driven by the same objective that has accompanied her since childhood: to continue growing, both on and off the court, to get as close as possible to what she always dreamed of as a child.
