Rudy Fernandez may have failed to make his mark in the NBA, but that didn’t stop him from having an incredible amount of success on the basketball court. A rising star for Joventut in Spain, Fernandez came over to the NBA in 2008 after being selected with the 24th pick of the 2007 NBA Draft.
He had a fine rookie season with the Trail Blazers during which he set what was then the record for the most threes in a season by a first-year player with 159. His efforts earned him a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team, but that was as good as it got for the Spaniard, as his career never took off in the NBA. He went back to Spain for a short bit during the lockout in 2011 before returning to the NBA, but after the end of the 2011-12 season, he went back to Spain for good. While success would elude him in the NBA, that wasn’t the case with the Spanish national team, with whom he has enjoyed tremendous success.
Rudy Fernandez’s Incredible Career With Spain
Fernandez is a part of Spain’s golden generation that has dominated Europe over the last decade and they were triumphant yet again in 2022 as they won the gold at EuroBasket. It meant Spain had won 4 of the last 6 editions and only Rudy Fernandez has been present for all 4 of them.
“I can’t describe how I feel. This was so special. This group was so young but they fight in every game and now it’s recognized, this work in all the tournament. I’m so happy, so proud to be a part of this group.”
Fernandez was the veteran presence that this young Spanish side needed. He averaged 7.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, but the stat sheet doesn’t show his impact off the court. His 4th gold medal also now sees him tied for 2nd all-time in the history of EuroBasket with only Gennadi Volnov from the Soviet Union winning more than him.
To go with his gold medal tally here, Fernandez has also won the gold twice at the FIBA World Cup and he also has 2 silvers to go with a bronze at the Olympics. He has had almost unmatched success on the international stage among Europeans in what has been a remarkable career. On a club level, he has also won the EuroLeague twice with Real Madrid and stated last year that the team can compete in the NBA as well.
