The best Catalan basketball player, seduced by a newly minted competition

BarcelonaMariona Ortiz, one of the great stars of the Liga Femenina Endesa, will leave Casademont Zaragoza at the end of the year to join Project B, a new competition that has altered the global women's basketball ecosystem. The Catalan has chosen ARA to announce the reasons for this ambitious change of course. "I believe it is a new project that brings the best players in the world to different cities. Furthermore, it mixes sports, culture, and fashion to access cities that we would not be able to reach in any other way," says the point guard.

"It hasn't been overnight, but rather everything started to take shape sooner than people think. Project B is a unique opportunity that I couldn't turn down. It is a very innovative proposal that breaks with everything. One of the main things that caught my attention is the opportunity to have shares and a voice within what is being built. We players will be owners of a part of the league. Furthermore, it will help bring women's basketball to parts of the world where it hadn't yet been tapped into," explains Ortiz.

This new league will completely overlap with European competitions. The new proposal will begin in January with a training camp and a draft in South Korea. The circuit will kick off in Hangzhou (China) from January 19 to 24. A couple of months later, Valencia will host the event from March 12 to 21. Tokyo will be the venue from March 26 to April 4.

Players now have more control over the product. "This had never happened before. We players now have a voice and importance, and we greatly appreciate that. Project B puts the player at the center of everything and will help us boost our personal brand. It can really help provide projection, visibility, and opportunities for women's basketball," she acknowledges.

The project counts on former player Alana Beard in management, and prestigious names such as Lauren Jackson, Candace Parker, Novak Djokovic, Sloane Stephens, and Steve Young among the advisors and investors. The financial muscle of the project does not end here, as Project B is based in Singapore and has the support of different investment groups.

The arrival of Project B completely alters the current ecosystem, but Ortiz highlights its positive aspect. "It is an opportunity for the players who will be part of it, but also for the rest, who will have more options. The range of possibilities expands significantly. Women's basketball will have more visibility, and this will be evident on social media. The impact it will have helps to take the business up another level. Women's basketball will grow in a way we are not yet aware of," she anticipates.

Ortiz will continue playing until December 30th for Casademont Zaragoza, which leads the Liga Femenina Endesa. "Emotionally it is not easy because I am very grateful to Casademont Zaragoza for the bond I have created with the club and with the people of the city. It has not been simple. I had an idea in my head and it could not be, but at the same time I am very happy about this new stage that is opening up for me. My idea is to stay connected to the city, where I will continue living and linking my next projects. I want to thank them for everything they have done for me. I have tried to do it in the best possible way. My commitment until December 30th does not change and I will give it my all until the very last moment," she stresses.

Her decision has disappointed some fans, but she explains it in a pedagogical way. "When you love someone, what you wish them is the best. I have received one of the best opportunities I could receive. Besides giving me things in the present, it gives me a future. I understand everyone and people's feelings, but I have let other offers go by in the past and to this one I could not say no", she summarizes.

Ortiz faces the challenge at her sporting peak. "I am filled with maximum enthusiasm and very happy to be part of the project. I am very aware of the impact it can have. I don't know what would have happened if the opportunity had come to me at another time. My expectations are the same as always, to give my all and be the best player possible. I want to represent our basketball on a global level of the highest standard. I am dying to do it and I am sure it will be a spectacular experience. The diversity of players will be very great and I want to contribute as many things as I can, both on the court and in the locker room or outside, to transmit the values I believe in," she says.

Experts foresee great follow-up success, but it remains to be seen whether the forecasts are confirmed. "The promotion being done for the project is very large and the overall impact will be giant. There will be a very diverse audience because players from different countries will be participating. I am convinced that the project will be successful because the work being done is spectacular. The competition will surprise many people. In addition, Project B will know how to place the player in other areas to make her more personal side known. There is a fashion and culture component that will serve to make us better known," argues Ortiz.