The Real Madrid legend has retired after featuring at the Olympics with Spain
Rudy Fernandez calls time on a glittering career
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It's the end of an era at Real Madrid.
Earlier this summer, point guard Sergio Rodriguez retired. Now it's the turn of legendary forward Rudy Fernandez.
Even if Fernandez had already announced last April that this would be his last season as an active player, he waited until his record-setting sixth participation at the Paris Olympics with Spain to officially say goodbye.
A EuroLeague legend
Fernandez has played a total of 349 games in the EuroLeague, of which 330 came with Real (2011-2024) and 19 were as a Joventut Badalona player in the 2006-07, his debut season in the competition.
His career averages ended up at 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals. His 349 EuroLeague appearances are the 12th most all-time, while he is third all-time in steals (367), fifth all-time in three-pointers made (594), 18th all-time in scoring (3,037 points), 22nd all-time in assists (833), and 33rd all-time in rebounds (979).
Rudy was selected as the EuroLeague Rising Star in his first year in the competition, which came with Joventut. He was later named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, as well as the All-EuroLeague Second Team in the 2014-15 campaign.
In addition to his EuroLeague exploits, Fernandez also became a BKT EuroCup champion with Joventut in 2007-08, earning Finals MVP honors in the process. He made a total of 42 appearances in the competition over four seasons (2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2007-08), with career averages of 11.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.9 steals.
One of Spain’s best-ever players
Outside of the Euroleague Basketball umbrella, the Real legend is also recognized around the world for his achievements with the Spanish national team. Fernandez won two FIBA World Cup titles with La Roja and four EuroBasket trophies, in addition to two silver medals and one bronze medal at the Olympic Games. Recently, in Paris, he set a new overall record with six appearances in six different Olympic Games with the Spanish national team.
Domestically, he has lifted seven Spanish League trophies with Real, six Spanish Cups – one with Joventut (2007-08) and five with Real – and nine Spanish Super Cups, all with Real. He also became a FIBA EuroChallenge champion with Joventut in 2005-06, while he helped Real lift the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2014-15.
Fernandez spent four seasons in the NBA, too, playing 267 games in the association. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2008-09 after an impressive rookie campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers, in which he averaged 10.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 78 regular-season games and 7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.3 steals in six playoff games. Rudy suited up 236 times for Portland across the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons – on 218 occasions in the regular season and 18 in the playoffs – before playing 31 games for the Denver Nuggets in the 2011-12 campaign.