Rudy Fernández

At 39 years old, Rudy Fernández has this physical status:

Fernández represents the senior Spain national team internationally. He has won two FIBA World Cup titles, in 2006 and 2019, two Olympic silver medals in 2008 and 2012, as well as a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He also won four EuroBasket titles in 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2022, a silver medal in 2007, and a bronze medal in 2013. Fernández earned an All-EuroBasket Team selection in 2009.

Personal life

Fernández married Helen Lindes, his girlfriend of three years, on the 4th of July 2015. They live in Pozuelo de Alarcón, on the outskirts of Madrid. His older sister, Marta Fernández, played in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2007.

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Professional career

Rudy Fernández competed in the 2006 Catalan Tournaments, the 2006 Spanish King's Cup crown, and the 2008 EuroCup championship, as part of the Spanish ACB's DKV Joventut.

He has also received numerous personal awards while playing with DKV Joventut, including the 2004 Spanish King's Cup MVP, the 2006 EuroCup Finals MVP, and the 2007 Catalan Tournament Final MVP.

He was also named the 2006 FIBA Young Player of the Year. While his deal with Joventut was extended into the year 2011 in July 2007, he was hired early in the year 2008 so he would play the NBA. On his way out of the club, he paid tribute to his DKV coach, A.to Garca Reneses, by saying, "All I know of basketball is thanks to A.to Garca Reneses."

Fernández was drafted 24th overall in the NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns on June 28, 2007, and the Phoenix Suns later sold his draft rights along with James Jones to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash. Rudy Fernández revealed at a press conference on Friday, June 6, 2008, that he will leave DKV Joventut to join the Portland Trail Blazers for the 2008-09 NBA season, and that he has signed a new deal with the Blazers on July 1. "They [Portland] have shown a lot of concern in recruiting me and have promised that I will be a key player in the team," he said. Fernández joined the NBA team on September 22, 2008. He became the eighth Spaniard to play in the NBA. Sergio Rodrón, a former NBA player, joined several other Spaniards in the league during Pau and Marc Gasol, Jose Calderón, and Trail Blazers teammate Sergio Rodrón. Following his appearance with the Spain national team at the 2008 Olympic basketball tournament in Beijing, China, he joined the NBA.

Fernández appeared in his first regular-season NBA game on October 28, 2008, starting off the bench to score 16 points in a 96-76 Portland loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Rudy scored 25 points in 29 minutes against the Miami Heat, including 8 of 8 from the free throw line, bringing his overall NBA career high to a new record high. Fernández had won the fan vote and was named the fourth dunker to attend the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as part of the 2009 All-Star Weekend on January 18, 2009. During the game, he paid homage to late Trail Blazer Fernando Martn by wearing his #10 jersey. Fernández was disqualified in the first round of the competition after some believed was biased voting.

Fernández was taken off the court in a stretcher against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 9, 2009, after Trevor Ariza struck him on the head on a quickbreak attempt. When leaving the court with full mobility of his limbs, Fernández was alert and conscious, but he was admitted to the hospital due to chest pains. He was released from the hospital with a bruised chest and a right hip pointer.

Fernández was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team on April 30, 2009. In his first 20 NBA games, he set new NBA records for the number of three-point field goals made (159), scoring a three-point field goal in 33 games in a row, and making a three-point goal in his first 20 games.

The Blazers reported on October 16, 2009, that they had exercised the third year of Fernández's contract, keeping him with the team until the 2010–11 season.

Fernández underwent microdiscectomy surgery in December 2009 for a herniated disc that was causing leg pains.

Fernández was fined $25,000 for "public statements threatening the NBA" on August 20, 2010, the day after his agent formally demanded a trade from the Blazers. In a 107-102 victory over Minnesota on December 17, 2010, he shot 9-of-15 shots and four 3-pointers for a career-high 26 points and six assists. Fernandez, alongside teammate Patty Mills, donated 50% of the proceeds from their jerseys sales to assist those in Australia's floods. Fernández had a season-high eight assists on January 22 to go with 11 points, six rebounds, and two steals in 37 minutes off the bench as a PG in the 97-92 victory over Indiana. Fernández and his staff were dissatisfied with the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs for the third time in a row. Fernández struggled offensively for a good part of the year, but his continued success in other areas of the game has earned him praise from his peers. In Game 4 against the Mavericks, Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, who isn't supposed to give compliments at all, singled out his defensive play as the 84-82 win.

Fernández signed a one-year deal with Real Madrid's Liga ACB team on September 21, 2011, but only after a new NBA collective bargaining agreement was reached. Fernández signed for a reported salary of 2.7 million euros per season, the highest deal in Spanish league history at that time. His contract gave him the opportunity to return to Real when his NBA contract came to an end.

Rudy Fernández was traded to the Mavericks in a three-team trade during the 2011 NBA Draft. However, he never played for the Mavericks before being traded with Corey Brewer to the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 2011. The Mavericks were granted a second-round draft pick as well as a traded player exception.

Before suffering with a season-ending back injury, he played 31 games for Denver. Fernández declared in July 2012 that he did not return to the NBA after signing with Real Madrid Baloncesto for three years.

Fernández returned to Real Madrid on July 4, 2012, after signing a three-year contract worth 9 million euros net income. He was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team of the EuroLeague in May 2014, his second consecutive appearance in his career.

On August 14, 2014, he agreed to remain in the club until 2018. He was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team in May 2015 for his season. Real Madrid won the EuroLeague 2014–15 season championship after defeating Olympiacos by a score of 78–59 in the final game. Real Madrid won the Spanish League 2014-2015 season championship for the first time since defeating Barcelona 3–0 in the ACB finals. They ended the season having won the triple crown with the trophy.

Real Madrid defeated Fenerbahçe Douş in the final game by 85–80 in May 2018. Fernández averaged 7.5 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game in over 30 EuroLeague games. After a 3–1 series victory over Baskonia one month later, the club won the Spanish league. Ferández was named MVP of the finals.

He signed a two-year contract with Real Madrid on July 2, 2018, extending his stay in the club until 2020.

National team career

Fernández has been playing international basketball tournaments since he was sixteen years old. He competed with the Spain national junior teams in the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.

Fernández competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics, scoring 5.1 points per game while others were on the senior Spain national team, averaging 10.6 minutes per game. His third appearance with Spain's senior national team was in 2005, but his numbers were poor: 2.7 points per game, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, with a 31.6% FG%. He returned to the Czech team with 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, helping his team win a gold medal.

He appeared at EuroBasket 2007, where Spain gained the tournament's silver medal. Rudy averaged 9.9 points in 20.3 minutes per game during the tournament. Spain lost in the gold medal match to Team USA in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Fernández added 22 points in 18 minutes of play, five three-point goals, and completed a dunk over Dwight Howard that ESPN sportswriter Bill Simmons called "hellacious." Fernández had the following statistics: 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 22.3 minutes per game during the Olympics: 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

He was in Poland for his sixth straight appearance with the Spain national team at the EuroBasket 2009. Spain secured its inaugural gold medal in a European Championship, and Fernández had a 26.4 minutes, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, earning the All-Tournament Team.

Fernández averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, but Spain finished sixth in the tournament, with sixth place. Fernández has competed in EuroBasket 2011, where Spain won the gold medal and clinched a spot in the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he won a silver medal with Spain. He appeared at EuroBasket 2022, where he earned a bronze medal at the 2014 Summer Olympics, where he also won a bronze medal, at the 2016 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he won a gold medal, and at EuroBasket 2022, where he claimed a gold medal.

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