Rudy Fernandez

BIOGRAPHY

Name: Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Fernández Farrés
Date of birth: 4 de abril de 1985
From: Palma de Mallorca

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Guard-foward: Alero
Height: 6-6 / 1,98 m.
Weight: 185 lbs. / 85 kg.

Rodolfo Fernández Farrés was born on april 4, 1985 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). He was the second child (his sister Marta was born on december 22, 1981) of Rodolfo Fernández and Maite Farrés. The past of his parents, both former basketball players, influenced strongly the destiny of their children, as both adopted basketball as a way of life. Rudy, who also played soccer as a child, started playing basketball with the youth teams of San José Obrero in Palma de Mallorca. But at 13 years old Rudy and his family took an important and hard decision: sign with Joventut and move to Badalona. In his new city and his new team, the same where his parents played before, he started to grow as a player and as a person. He played in the different youth teams of Joventut. In the year 2002, he won with Joventut the prestigious junior tournament of l’Hospitalet, and was named the MVP. Some months before he played with the junior national team of Spain in the also important tournament of Mannheim, and they won the silver medal. His upside as a player kept growing and he made his ACB league debut at 17 years old. It was a game against Real Madrid on April 7, 2002. HiS coach was Manel Comas. His progress culminated with the leap from the junior team directly to the professional team the 2003-2004 season, with coach Aíto García Reneses. That same season, Rudy became one of the brightest European stars, being MVP of the King’s Cup in Sevilla and the ACB rookie of the year (award by Gigantes del Basket magazine).

Rudy quickly became the icon of Joventut and an important piece of the Spanish National team with whom he played his first Olympic Games in Athens in the summer of 2004. The promise had become a reality. After renouncing to go to the NBA in order to become an important player in Europe first, Rudy led the comeback of Joventut to the Euroleague, and also had a key role with the Nation team that won the gold medal in the Japan World Championship in 2006. That same summer, he declared for the NBA draft and was selected 24th overall by the Phoenix Suns, who dealt him to the Portland Trail Blazers on the same day. But Rudy, once more, decided to stay with Joventut, and he led the team to his most successful season in years, winning three titles: Catalan League, King’s Cup and ULEB Cup, being Rudy MVP. The time for the NBA had come. Rudy announced that he was leaving the club where he had been his whole life to go to the Blazers. But before that, there where the Beijing Olympics. Rudy was a key player for a Spain team that on August 24th played a memorable final game against the USA. Rudy scored 22 points and showed he was ready for the NBA, that he was going at the right time. He then became the eighth spanish player in the NBA and the third with the Blazers after Fernando Martín and Sergio Rodríguez. On October 28th, 2008, he made his NBA debut in Los Angeles against the Lakers. It was the best start for a Spanish player, as he finished with 16 points and 4 assists.

TEAMS-CAREER

CLUBS

• Cantera San José Obrero. Palma de Mallorca.
• Cantera Joventut de Badalona.
• 2001-02 Joventut Badalona Junior. DKV Joventut. ACB
• 2002-03 Joventut Badalona B (EBA) y DKV Joventut. ACB
• 2003-04 DKV Joventut. ACB
• 2004-05 DKV Joventut. ACB
• 2005-06 DKV Joventut. ACB / FIBA EUROCUP
• 2006-07 DKV Joventut. ACB / EUROLEAGUE
• 2007-08 DKV Joventut. ACB / ULEB CUP
• 2008-09 Portland Trail Blazers. NBA
• 2009-10 Portland Trail Blazers. NBA

NATIONAL TEAM

• Selección de España Cadete.
• Selección de España Junior.
• Selección de España sub-20.
• Selección de España Absoluta
• Debuta el 23/07/2004 en Palma de Mallorca. España 97- Croacia 70 (4 puntos).
• 2004 Juegos Olímpicos de Atenas.
• 2005 Campeonato de Europa en Belgrado.
• 2006 Campeonato del Mundo en Japón.
• 2007 Campeonato de Europa en Madrid.
• 2008 Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín.

AWARDS

• 2001 Campeonato de Europa Cadete. Selección de España. Riga. Medalla de Bronce.
• 2002 Torneo de Mannheim. Selección de España Junior. Medalla de Plata.
• 2004 Copa del Rey de Sevilla. DKV Joventut. Subcampeón.
• 2004 Lliga Catalana. DKV Joventut. Campeón.
• 2006 FIBA Eurocup en Kiev. DKV Joventut. Campeón.
• 2006 Campeonato del Mundo en Japón. Selección de España. Medalla de Oro.
• 2007 Campeonato de Europa en Madrid Selección de España. Medalla de Plata.
• 2008 Copa del Rey ACB en Vitoria. DKV Joventut Badalona. Campeón.
• 2008 ULEB Cup en Turín. DKV Joventut Badalona. Campeón.
• 2008 Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín. Selección de España. Medalla de Plata.
• 2009 Eurobasket de Polonia

NOMINATIONS

• 2002-2003 MVP Campeonato de España Junior 2003.
• 2004 MVP Copa del Rey ACB
• 2003-2004 Mejor Debutante ACB temporada 2003-2004 por revista Gigantes del Basket.
• 2006 MVP Final de la Fiba EuroCup 2006
• 2005-2006 Jugador más espectacular temporada 05/06 por la revista Gigantes del Basket.
• 2006 Mejor jugador joven de Europa
• 2007 Mejor jugador joven de Europa
• 2007 MVP Lliga Catalana en
• 2006-2007 Quinteto ideal Liga ACB
• 2008 MVP Copa del Rey ACB
• 2008 MVP Copa ULEB
• 2007-2008 Máximo anotador Liga ACB
• 2007-2008 Líder en recuperaciones Liga ACB
• 2007-2008 Quinteto ideal Liga ACB
• 2008-2009 Quinteto ideal del Eurobasket de Polonia