Rudy Fernandez climbs to Olympus: sixth Olympic Games!

Rudy Fernandes kept his promise in the Australia-Spain match against Pierre-Mauroy de Lille. His sixth Olympic Games as a player came after entering the court five minutes into the opening match of the Olympic tournament, which will be held between the city near Belgium and the final stage at the impressive Bercy arena.“Every time I come here, I think of Pau Gasol and his game in 2015,” he said the day before. Now that, too, will be part of his everlasting legend.

Rudy continues climbing the steps of history. To his three medals, inspiring images of the golden age of Spanish basketball, such as dunking on the fearsome Dwight Howard and turning into a multi-purpose basketball, he adds a record that does not go beyond the category. Six games, the most in men’s basketball. Breaking a tie with Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Oscar Schmidt, Andrew Gase and Teofilo Cruz.

His farewell tour already has it all. The Endesa League title to a standing ovation at the WiZink Center. The pre-Olympic Games, where he gave his all for every ball. And now the Games. “I want to be remembered as the player who gave everything for this shirt,” he often says. It will be, no doubt about it.

I want to be remembered as a player who gave everything for this shirt.

Rudy

All he needed was after going through the opening ceremony, something he had already experienced, but something the team’s dressing room wanted. “We would like that. Obviously, it’s not possible, and we know that desire has to be maintained in such a difficult tournament,” he said before the match. Yes, they did another one, in their own way, on the track in Lille with Juancho Hernangomez as host of the national team party.

The last dance is still underway. He has a difficult group to navigate, a dream of Paris, and a promise he has kept since the bill for the ticket to Lille. “I told my father that after Paris I would retire,” he says. Rudy has taken the first step. Now you just have to enjoy it.