34 years without Fernando Martín
The Real Madrid legend passed away on 3 December 1989.
We lost a Real Madrid basketball legend 34 years ago. It was on 3 December 1989 that Fernando Martín died in a traffic accident. Madrid fans said goodbye to one of their heroes when he was only 27 years old. The tragic event occurred while he was on his way to the Palacio de los Deportes to watch the match between Real Madrid and CAI Zaragoza.
Fernando Martín left his mark on the club and on Spanish basketball thanks to his quality, courage and personality. With our team he won 4 Leagues, 1 Intercontinental Cup, 2 Cup Winners' Cups, 1 Korac Cup, 3 King's Cups and 1 Spanish Supercup. He was a leader on court and idol of the fans, Real Madrid decided to retire the jersey with his number 10 as a tribute.
NBA
In addition to his career as a Real Madrid player, Fernando Martín has a prominent place in the history of Spanish sport, as he was the first Spanish player to make his debut in the NBA in 1986. He was also part of the Spanish national team that won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games. His record with the national team was topped off with a silver medal at the 1983 European Championship.