Fernando Martín (basketball)

Fernando Martín

Fernando Martín Espina during a game
Personal information
Born	(1962-03-25)March 25, 1962 Madrid, Spain
Died	December 3, 1989(1989-12-03) (aged 27) Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	1985: 2nd round, 38th overall pick
Selected by the New Jersey Nets
Playing career	1979–1989
Position	Center / power forward
Number	10
Career history
1979–1981	Estudiantes Mudespa
1981–1986	Real Madrid
1986–1987	Portland Trail Blazers
1987–1989	Real Madrid
Career highlights and awards
FIBA Club World Cup champion (1981) 3× FIBA European Super Cup champion (1984, 1988, 1989) 2× FIBA Saporta Cup champion (1984, 1989) FIBA Korać Cup champion (1988) 4× Spanish League champion (1982 LEB, 1984–1986 ACB) Spanish Supercup winner (1984) 3× Spanish King's Cup winner (1985, 1986, 1989) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991) No. 10 retired by Real Madrid
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com
FIBA Hall of Fame as player
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Spain Olympic Games 1984 Los Angeles EuroBasket 1983 France European Championship for Cadets 1979 Syria Under-16

Fernando Martín Espina (March 25, 1962 – December 3, 1989) was a Spanish professional basketball player who was considered to be one of the best Spanish basketball players ever.^[1] Martín was 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) tall, and he played primarily at the center and power forward positions. He was considered a talented all-around athlete. He was a five-time swimming champion in Spain, as well as being a highly ranked athlete in the sports of handball, table tennis and judo.

Martín wore the number 10 jersey, which Real Madrid retired after his death. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players, in 1991. In 2007, he was enshrined into the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Martín was the first Spanish player to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), in 1986, and was also the second European to play in the league. He played for the Portland Trail Blazers and, earlier, in Spain for Estudiantes and Real Madrid. He played in only 24 games in the 1986–87 NBA season for the Blazers, being injured for two months. At the end of the season, he returned to Spain, to play again for Real Madrid.

National team career

Martín also played for the senior Spanish national team, and he was a prominent player in the Spanish team that won the silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Martín also represented his country at the 1981 EuroBasket, the 1983 EuroBasket, where he won a silver medal, and the 1985 EuroBasket, where he was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Death

Martín died in a car accident in the M-30 motorway in Madrid, after crashing his car. His death caused an enormous shock in Spanish basketball.

Personal life

His son, Jan Martín, made a start in the top-tier level Spanish pro league, the ACB, with Estudiantes, in the 2002–03 season, and he also played with the Spanish national junior teams. His nephew, Dominick Martín, played college basketball at Yale University, and also played professionally in Spain. His brother, Antonio Martín Espina, was also a professional basketball player.^[2]

For his first dunk in the 2009 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, Portland Trail Blazers' player Rudy Fernández, wore a #10 Martín Blazers jersey, in his honor.

See also

• List of basketball players who died during their careers

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com  and Basketball-Reference.com 
• Fernando Martín at realmadrid.com
• Fernando Martín at acb.com (in Spanish)
• Fernando Martín at feb.es (in Spanish)
• Fernando Martin at FIBA
• Fernando Martín Espina (and here) at the Comité Olímpico Español (in Spanish)
• Fernando Martin Espina at Olympics.com
• Fernando Martin at Olympic.org (archived)
• Fernando Martín at Olympedia