Phoenix 24
The Spanish international brings renewed ambition to her European comeback.
VALENCIA
Spanish basketball star Raquel Carrera has returned to Valencia Basket after completing her first season with the New York Liberty in the WNBA, strengthening the club’s roster as it pursues domestic and European success. The 24-year-old forward-center rejoins the team at a demanding moment, with Valencia seeking its first victory of the new EuroLeague Women campaign.
Carrera returned to team activities on October 19 and was made available for the October 21 home game against French side Flammes Carolo Basket. Her arrival follows a period of international competition that included appearances in the United States and with Spain’s national team.
The Galician player entered the WNBA in 2026 after signing with New York Liberty, a move that marked an important development in her professional career. She had originally been selected in the 2021 WNBA Draft but continued developing her game in European basketball before making the transition.
Her return gives Valencia additional options near the basket, particularly in interior defense, rebounding and offensive combinations involving its perimeter players.
The timing is significant. Valencia opened its EuroLeague Women season with a defeat against Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe and faces pressure to establish consistency in an increasingly competitive European tournament.
Head coach Javi Torralba is overseeing a new phase for the club following the successful tenure of Rubén Burgos. Integrating players returning from international commitments represents one of the challenges facing the coaching staff.
Carrera’s career has already included considerable adversity. In March 2024, she suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept her out of competition for approximately eleven months and prevented her from participating in the Paris Olympic Games.
Her recovery required physical rehabilitation and adjustments to her approach to professional basketball. In subsequent interviews, she has explained how the experience encouraged greater attention to rest, nutrition and her identity beyond competitive sport.
The injury also influenced her development as a player. Carrera worked to expand her offensive options beyond traditional interior positions, including improving her shooting and mobility.
Her American experience adds another dimension to that progression. Training and competing in the WNBA exposed her to different tactical approaches and the physical intensity associated with elite international basketball.
Those experiences could benefit Valencia, although their impact will ultimately depend on how effectively she adapts to the team’s current playing system.
Carrera’s return also reflects the increasingly international careers of leading Spanish basketball players. Domestic clubs must accommodate athletes who compete across different leagues and national-team schedules.
For Valencia, maintaining continuity while benefiting from that experience will be important as the season develops.
The immediate objective is to strengthen a roster competing on multiple fronts. The broader challenge is transforming individual experience into collective performance.
Carrera returns with an established record in Spanish basketball and valuable experience abroad. Her next opportunity is to translate that development into results with the club where she has built much of her professional career.
Beyond the Court, Ambition Meets Opportunity.