Fernando Martín Espina

Fernando Martín Espina ( born March 15, 1962 in Madrid, † December 3, 1989 in Madrid) was a Spanish professional basketball player. His career, he graduated at Estudiantes and Real Madrid, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Spanish national team. He was the first of his country and the second Europeans made ​​the jump to the NBA, and is considered by many to this day as one of the best Spanish basketball players of all time. He was 2.05 m tall and played as a center.

Fernando Martin Espina was the beginning of 2008 to a circle of 105 basketball players who were nominated by the Euro League Basketball and / or basketball interested, actively fifty major personalities of the sport of basketball in Europe in the period 1958 to 2008, determine and subsequently in May 2008 Madrid ( Spain) honor can. All nominated players have played a particularly prominent role in the European Cup competitions of FIBA Europe and the Euro League basketball and belonged respectively to the most prominent "stars" of their national league teams.

Career

His career began Fernando Martín, 1979 in the junior categories of Estudiantes. After successes like the Spanish Junior Championship and the silver medal at the Youth European Championships he moved after only one year in the first squad. Immediately, where he rose to become one of the revelations of the 1980/81 season and moved to the end of the league to city rivals Real Madrid. With these he scored four league titles (1982, 1984, 1985 and 1986 ), two cup wins ( 1985, 1986 ), a European Cup Winners' Cup (1989 ), a Korac Cup (1988) and a Club World Cup (1981).

NBA

In 1985, Fernando Martín, the second European at all, gedrafted by an NBA team. The offer of the New Jersey Nets refused the Spaniards, however, from, and so it was only in 1986 when he made the leap into the American professional league. In the Portland Trail Blazers he could, however, due to numerous injuries, only 24 will contest, and so he returned in 1987 returned to Real Madrid.

National

Between 1981 and 1986, denied Fernando Martín total of 86 games for the Spanish national team. He was one of the pillars of the Vice European Champion title in 1983 and the silver medal at the Summer Olympic Games in 1984.

Tragic death

Fernando Martín died on 3 December 1989 at the age of 27, in a car accident when he tried to attend a game his team against CAI Zaragoza. Since his death, no other player in the squad of Real Madrid has worn the jersey with the number 10. It was his son, Jan Martin, currently operates in the amateur team was allowed to use this number again.

In 2007 he was posthumously included as one of the first players in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Achievements

• Spanish league titles (1982, 1984, 1985 and 1986)
• Copa del Rey (1985, 1986)
• European Cup Winners' Cup (1989 )
• Korac Cup ( 1988)
• Club World Cup (1981 )
• Olympic silver (1984 )