Fernando Martin
From Hoopedia
Fernando Martín Espina (March 15, 1962 in Madrid — December 3, 1989 in Madrid) is considered one of the best Spanish basketball players ever. He was 2,05 m tall, and used to play as power forward or center. Considered a talented, courageous and naturally complete athlete, not devoid of skills. He was a five-time swimming champion in Castilla. Martín also had a high rank in handball, table tennis and judo.
He played with the Portland Trail Blazers and, earlier, in Spain with Estudiantes and Real Madrid. In 1986 he became the first Spanish player to play in NBA, and one of the first Europeans to play in this league. He played in only 24 games in the 1986-87 season for the Blazers, having been injured for two months. At the end of the season, he returned to Spain to play again for Real Madrid.
He was a prominent player in the Spanish national team that won the Silver medal in the Los Angeles Olympic Games of 1984. Martín also represented his country in the 1981, 1983 and 1985 European Championship, and during the latter was selected for the All-tournament team.
He died at the age of 28 in a car accident in 1989. He crashed his own car, a limited edition Lancia Thema with a Ferrari engine. This caused an enormous shock in Spanish basketball.
His jersey number -- 10 -- was retired by Real Madrid.
In 2007, he was part of the inaugural class to be enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame.
