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 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 |
| 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 |
| Drafted by | 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 | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
| FIBA Hall of Fame | |
Fernando Martín Espina (March 25, 1962 – December 3, 1989) was a Spanish professionalbasketball 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 thecenter andpower forward positions. He was considered a talented all-around athlete. He was a five-timeswimming champion in Spain, as well as being a highly ranked athlete in the sports ofhandball,table tennis andjudo.
Martín wore thenumber 10 jersey, whichReal Madrid retired after his death. He was named one ofFIBA's 50 Greatest Players, in 1991. In 2007, he was enshrined into theFIBA Hall of Fame.
Martín was the first Spanish player to play in theNational Basketball Association (NBA), in 1986, and was also the second European to play in the league. He played for thePortland Trail Blazers and, earlier, in Spain forEstudiantes andReal Madrid. He played in only 24 games in the1986–87 NBA seasonfor the Blazers, being injured for two months. At the end of the season, he returned to Spain, to play again for Real Madrid.
Martín also played for the seniorSpanish national team, and he was a prominent player in the Spanish team that won the silver medal at the1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Martín also represented his country at the1981 EuroBasket, the1983 EuroBasket, where he won a silver medal, and the1985 EuroBasket, where he was selected to theAll-Tournament Team.
Martín died in a car accident in the M-30 motorway in Madrid, after crashing his car. His death caused an enormous shock inSpanish basketball.
His son,Jan Martín, made a start inthe top-tier level Spanish pro league, theACB, withEstudiantes, in the 2002–03 season, and he also played with the Spanish national junior teams. His nephew, Dominick Martín, playedcollege basketball for theYale Bulldogs, and also played professionally in Spain. His brother,Antonio Martín Espina, was also a professional basketball player.[2]
For his first dunk in the2009 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest,Portland Trail Blazers' playerRudy Fernández, wore a #10 Martín Blazers jersey, in his honor.
Full name: Fernando Martín Espina / Related Olympians: Brother of Antonio Martín
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