By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
On his 39th birthday, Rudy Fernandez just announced his official retirement at the end of the 2023-24 season, his 12th with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague.
Starting his career in 2002 with Joventut Badalona, he went on playing there until 2008 before making the jump to the NBA, where he represented the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets. From 2012, he’s with Real Madrid, where he has won 22 domestic titles and 3 EuroLeagues (2015, 2018, 2023).
As he said, on what was expected to be an ordinary press conference for the upcoming EuroLeague game of Real Madrid: “It’s a difficult and shocking word when you hear it, but I’m getting to a point in my career where I’m already old. I am very happy and thankful for all those years in Real Madrid. This is ending, but there are still a few months to try to help.”
The legendary Spanish player will try to reach one more time the Olympic Games. He will be available in Valencia‘s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament with Sergio Scariolo’s national team. With the Spanish national team, he has won four EuroBasket and two World Cups, getting medals in three Olympics.
As he added: “One of my priorities is to fulfill the dream that my father had, to be able to experience a pre-Olympic and try to qualify and experience an Olympics. That’s also why I’m here a little bit more, I don’t want to fool anyone.”
The plan seems to be for Sergio Llull, Sergio “Chacho” Rodriguez, and Rudy Fernandez to all retire after the summer of 2023, ending an infinite relationship with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.
BREAKING: Rudy Fernandez announcing this is going to be his last season playing basketballpic.twitter.com/nXsmRXHnSu
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 4, 2024