Fuengirola becomes a training base for NBA stars again with ‘The Sanctuary’

Fuengirola is once again placing itself on the international basketball map with a new edition of ‘The Sanctuary’, the preparatory campus promoted by the National Basketball Players Association —the NBA players’ union— to offer its members a training, recovery and team-building experience during the pre-season.

The fifth edition will take place at the Fuengirola-Higuerón Training Centre, a municipal complex that has become a reference point for top-level professional athletes in recent years. The presentation was attended by deputy mayor Rodrigo Romero, sports councillor Julio Rodríguez, the Andalusian Government’s provincial sports delegate in Málaga, Carlos García, NBPA International Relations and Marketing representative Matteo Zuretti, and player Hugo González.

More than one hundred players have trained at El Higuerón

Since ‘The Sanctuary’ began taking place in Fuengirola, more than one hundred NBA players have passed through the facilities at El Higuerón. This edition includes names such as Klay Thompson, Norman Powell, Jay Huff and Shaedon Sharpe, among other players from the US league.

The programme combines physical and technical training sessions with cultural and leisure activities in Andalusia, a formula previously presented by the NBPA itself as a performance retreat that allows players to train while discovering the region.

A centre designed for high performance

The training programme will be held at the Fuengirola-Higuerón Training Centre, a municipally owned facility managed by world champions Berni Rodríguez and José Manuel Calderón. The venue has around 1,500 square metres, two basketball courts, changing rooms, rehabilitation areas and a gym equipped with state-of-the-art machinery.

These facilities have helped Fuengirola consolidate its position as an attractive destination for professional sports camps, especially for teams and players looking to combine specialised infrastructure, good weather, privacy and high-level services.

Fuengirola strengthens its image as a sports destination

The return of ‘The Sanctuary’ to the town reinforces Fuengirola’s strategy as a venue for international sports events and training programmes. The presence of NBA players gives the municipality visibility beyond Spain and links its name to a highly specialised segment of sports tourism.

Beyond its sporting impact, the initiative brings visibility to the El Higuerón area and strengthens the role of the Costa del Sol as a destination chosen by elite athletes to prepare for their seasons. The combination of infrastructure, connections, climate and complementary services makes Fuengirola a particularly competitive setting for this type of programme.

An exclusive event, not a public campus

‘The Sanctuary’ is not a conventional camp for fans, but a professional experience designed for NBA players. Its value lies in personalised work, physical preparation, recovery, coexistence between athletes and contact with the Andalusian environment ahead of the new season.

With this fifth edition, Fuengirola is not only repeating as host, but also consolidating an international sports connection that places the town in a prominent position on Europe’s high-performance basketball map.

📍 Location: Fuengirola-Higuerón Training Centre.
🏀 Event: ‘The Sanctuary’.
🌍 Organised by: National Basketball Players Association, NBPA.
🚀 Edition: fifth.
👥 Notable participants: Klay Thompson, Norman Powell, Jay Huff, Shaedon Sharpe and other NBA players.
🏟️ Facilities: two courts, gym, changing rooms and rehabilitation areas.
🎯 Goal: physical and technical preparation, recovery and cultural experiences for professional players.

The information comes from the article published by Al Sol de la Costa, the official communication from Fuengirola Town Hall and previous details released by the NBPA.