Jesse Wagstaff
July 23, 2020
Izan Almansa
- Nationality: ESP
- Date of Birth: 7/06/05
- Place of Birth: Murcia (Spain)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 208
- Weight (KG): 104
- Junior Assoc:
- College:
- NBL DEBUT: 20/09/24
- AGE AT DEBUT: 19
- LAST NBL GAME: 7/02/25
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 19
- NBL History: Perth 2025
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Almansa grew up in Spain where he began playing basketballfor the UCAM Murcia youth team at nine years old. Led his under-14 squad to a sixth-place finish at the Spanish National Championships – the club’s best performance ever at the junior level – while averaging 18 points and 18 rebounds per game. In a group stage victory over La Salle Laguna, he recorded 32 points, 28 rebounds, and six steals.
FAMILY: Son of Cristina Almansa and Steve Horton, an American professional basketball player for CB Murcia.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Izan Almansa made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 19 years of age. He scored 10 points in his first game.
Follows the footsteps of No. 2 NBA Draft pick, Alex Sarr, in joining the Perth Wildcats. The 6’10 forward/centre, who hails from Murcia, Spain, possesses a 7’1 wingspan and is an impact player on both ends of the floor.
“I am very excited and thankful for the opportunity to play for the Perth Wildcats and be part of the Next Stars program,” Almansa said after agreeing to play with Perth.
“I am really looking forward to getting to Perth and getting to work. I’m looking forward to competing in the NBL and trying to win a championship.”
Almansa was a member of Real Madrid’s Youth Academy for two years, before developing his game in the USA at Overtime Elite, and then playing for the G League Ignite last season. Izan (pronounced Ee-thahn) will now become the first Spanish player to become an NBL Next Star.
Izan Almanza is getting it done on both ends 🤯
Watch the Blitz ⤵️
Australia – live on Kayo 📺
International – live on YouTube 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/jSNM0XsRfj— NBL Next Stars (@NBLNextStars) September 12, 2024
Izan Almansa played one season in the NBL. He averaged 7.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 29 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 19 | Perth | 18-11 (3) | 29 | 442.4 | 220 | 125 | 22 | 80 | 45 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 50 | 91 | 178 | 51% | 7 | 21 | 33% | 31 | 58 | 53% | 54% | 53% | 19 | Totals | 29 | 442 | 220 | 125 | 22 | 80 | 45 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 50 | 91 | 178 | 51.1% | 7 | 21 | 33.3% | 31 | 58 | 53.4% | 54% | 53% | 19 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 19 | Perth | 18-11 (3) | 29 | 15.3 | 7.6 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 6.1 | 51% | 0.2 | 0.7 | 33% | 1.1 | 2.0 | 53% | 54% | 53% | 19 | Total | 29 | 15.3 | 7.6 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 6.1 | 51.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3% | 0.2 | 0.7 | 53.4% | 54% | 53% | 19 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 19 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Almansa was selected to play at the 2021 FIBA U16 European Challengers, though Spain later withdrew from the tournament.
His next chance to play for the national team was at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Spain and led his team to a silver-medal finish (their first-ever medal at the event). He averaged 12.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game on 55.7 percent shooting and was named the tournament MVP – the first non-American player to ever win the award. Spain lost in the final to the United States, with Almansa recording nine points, 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals in the 79–67 defeat
Just a few weeks after the U17 World Cup, Almansa represented the national under-18 team at the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship in Turkey. There, he averaged 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 25 minutes per game, leading Spain to a gold medal and winning tournament MVP honours once again. He made history again, becoming the first player ever to be named MVP of both the U17 World Cup and the U19 World Cup.
Represented Spain at the 2024 FIBA U20 EuroBasket in Poland.
NBA EXPERIENCE
On 30 June 2023, Almansa signed with the NBA G League Ignite. As a part of that team, he competed in the Rising Stars Game at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
Later that year, he participated in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine but decided to withdraw from this year’s draft and build his stock for 2025.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Spain - Real Madrid (2020–2021, 2025–2029)
Almansa joined Real Madrid for the 2020–2021 season in Spain and played three games with the club’s reserve team in Liga EBA during that season.
His junior play saw him be Real Madrid in 2019. He played two years with the Real Madrid Under-16 team, while also playing three games with the Real Madrid reserves in the fourth-tier Liga EBA during the 2020–21 season.
He remained with Real Madrid through 2020–2021 and won the Spanish Youth Championship in 2021.
After failing to be drafted and make an NBA team in 2025, he signed a four-year deal with Real Madrid.
He returned to Real Madrid for the 2025–2026 season in Spain on a contract running through 30 June 2029.
AWARDS
- NBA G League Next Up Game (2024)
-
FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2023)
-
FIBA Under-17 World Cup MVP (2022)
-
FIBA U18 European Championship MVP (2022)
Related
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