Hugo Gonzalez is already making an impact at the NBA level despite being a rookie, and it has come together for the Madrid native in part due to his time playing with NBA-caliber veterans in Europe in his time suiting up for Real Madrid. In turn, this has given him a unique point of view on the talent level in both leagues not many first-year players in the Association share.

Gonzalez recently opened up about why the two leagues are different (and what they share) in a recent interview with “Gigantes de Basket”. “I have said it many times, I have been lucky to play in Madrid with the best players in Europe,” said Gonzalez (our translation from the original Spanish).

“This year, I have played with eight, nine, 10 players who have played in the NBA,” added the Celtics rookie. “But when you play in the NBA you are playing against the best players in the world at that moment.”

“Whether you like it or not, when you play against the best, there’s always another level, right? But beyond that, it’s a bit different from what we’re used to in Europe,” he said. “It’s more of a game of more reads, a bit freer to let the player’s talent operate more than anything else without neglecting the tactics as a team and the search for advantages, which is what any team seeks.”

“But it’s more of a game of looking for the readings, of finding your space on the court, obviously taking advantage of any situation of advantage, no matter how small, to contribute, and that would be the main difference.”

Listen to “Havlicek Stole the Pod” on:

Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The difference between Europe, NBA, per Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez