Rudy Fernandez is a small forward for the Portland Trailblazers of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Patina de Mallarco, Mallorco, Baleric Islands, Spain. Rudy played a decorated career in Spain and Europe. He won two Catalan tournaments, the 2006 Eurocup, 2008 Spanish Kingscup, and the 2008 ULEB Cup. Rudy won six different individual awards, 2004, and 2008 Spanish Kingscup MVP, 2006 Eurocup Final Four MVP, 2008 ULEB Cup MVP, and the rising star award in the Euroleague for the 2006-07 season.
After signing with Joventut, Rudy had his contract bought out by the Blazers who traded for him earlier on in the year at the NBA draft, acquiring him from Phoenix. The contract with Joventut was till 2011, the blazers bought out the final three years. Rudy scored 16 points in his debut as a Blazer versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Just two months after debuting, Rudy scored 25 points versus Miami. He was selected to compete in the 2009 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Rudy was eliminated in the first round after showing some of the athleticism he possesses, just not enough. Rudy was chosen to the second team all rookie team, a season that saw him make 159 three point shots, a new rookie record.
Rudy Fernandez 2009-10 Season
Rudy after his rookie season, saw a decrease in playing time and scoring, due in part to an injury suffered to his ankle, and knee. He still had a flair for the dramatic, often times zipping through traffic and unleasing a nice pass or a flamboyant shot. These moments were limited however. His scoring per game dropped two points from 10.9 as a rookie to 8.1. He voiced his concerns over playing time and time will tell if Rudy returns to the Blazers.
