Fran Vázquez Explained

Fran Vázquez
Position:Center
Height Ft:6
Height In:10
Weight Lbs:232
Nationality:Spanish
Birth Date:1 May 1983
Birth Place:Chantada, Lugo, Spain
Draft Year:2005
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:11
Draft Team:Orlando Magic
Career Start:2001
Career End:2020
Years1:2001–2005
Team1:Unicaja
Years2:2003
Team2:Bilbao Basket
Years3:2003–2004
Team3:Gran Canaria
Years4:2005–2006
Team4:Girona
Years5:2006–2012
Team5:FC Barcelona
Years6:2012–2016
Team6:Unicaja
Years7:2016–2018
Team7:Canarias
Years8:2018–2020
Team8:Zaragoza
Highlights:

Spanish League career stats leaders

  • Spanish League all-time leader in blocks

Francisco Vázquez González (pronounced as /gl/; born 1 May 1983), more commonly known as Fran Vázquez, is a retired Spanish professional basketball player. Originally drafted by the Orlando Magic in 2005, Vázquez decided to remain in the Spanish ACB League rather than enter the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the Spanish League's all-time leader in blocked shots.[1]

Professional career

Vázquez was selected 11th overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. He made headlines when he announced that he would remain playing in the Spanish ACB League for at least the following season, after signing for Akasvayu Girona.[2] This came as a surprise to the Magic, who expected him to join Dwight Howard in the front court for the 2005–06 season, and it enraged many Magic fans.[3]

Vázquez originally gave no indication that he would be returning to Europe after he was drafted, and had indicated that he would like to join the Magic. The Magic retained his NBA rights while he played in non-NBA leagues. In 2010, Vázquez signed a one-year contract extension with the EuroLeague club Barcelona.[4]

In July 2012, Barcelona decided to trade his rights to Unicaja for the rights of Álex Abrines, who moved to FC Barcelona.[5]

On 17 April 2016, in a game against MoraBanc Andorra, Vázquez became the top shot-blocker in Liga ACB history, after surpassing the record of 671 blocks made by Fernando Romay.[6]

On 29 July 2016 Vázquez signed a two-year deal with Iberostar Tenerife.[7]

On 18 July 2018 he signed a two-year deal with Tecnyconta Zaragoza of the Liga ACB.[8]

On 7 May 2020 Vázquez announced his retirement.[9]

On 6 July 2024, the Orlando Magic finally renounced his draft rights to clear room under the salary cap.[10]

International career

Vázquez played with the senior men's Spain national team at the EuroBasket 2005 and the 2010 FIBA World Championship.[11]

Career statistics

EuroLeague

Denotes season in which Vázquez won the EuroLeague
Led the league

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Málaga| 15 || 0 || 7.7 || .565 || || .833 || 1.5 || || .3 || .4 || 2.4 || 2.7|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05| 14 || 13 || 18.1 || .691 || .000 || .727 || 4.1 || .5 || .1 || 1.5 || 7.9 || 9.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="6"| Barcelona| 23 || 11 || 17.4 || .535 || || .667 || 3.2 || .8 || .5 || 1.2 || 6.6 || 7.5|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08| 23 || 10 || 15.3 || .570 || .000 || .781 || 2.9 || .6 || .3 || .9 || 6.7 || 7.5|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09| style="background:#CFECEC;"|23* || 3 || 19.3 || .674 || || .605 || 4.7 || .7 || .2 || style="background:#CFECEC;"|1.7* || 8.7 || 11.4|-| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;"| 2009–10†| style="background:#CFECEC;"|22* || 2 || 17.6 || .680 || || .632 || 3.5 || .8 || .7 || 1.1 || 7.5 || 9.8|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11| 20 || 7 || 17.2 || .653 || || .750 || 4.4 || .6 || .3 || 1.0 || 8.1 || 10.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12| 21 || 1 || 13.6 || .603 || .000 || .739 || 3.2 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 4.4 || 6.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| Málaga| 24 || 19 || 15.9 || .554 || .000 || .900 || 3.1 || .4 || .4 || .7 || 5.4 || 5.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14| 22 || 11 || 18.3 || .589 || || .696 || 4.5 || .6 || .5 || 1.1 || 6.5 || 8.4|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15| 24 || 11 || 20.1 || .538 || || .754 || 4.8 || 1.0 || .8 || .8 || 7.2 || 10.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16| 23 || 6 || 14.8 || .523 || || .750 || 2.7 || .2 || .2 || .3 || 5.4 || 4.5|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2|Career| 254 || 94 || 16.5 || .597 || .000 || .723 || 3.6 || .6 || .4 || 1.0 || 6.5 || 7.9

Awards and accomplishments

Club honors

Spanish junior national team

Individual awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Liga ACB Career Leaders and Records for Blocks. basketball-reference.com. April 20, 2022.
  2. http://baloncesto.as.com/baloncesto/2005/07/31/mas_baloncesto/1122802544_850215.html Bombazo: Fran Vázquez, cuatro años al Akasvayu
  3. Web site: HoopsHype - Interviews - Fran Vazquez: "I will jump to the NBA only when I feel ready". March 20, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060320110335/http://hoopshype.com/interviews/vazquez_barrigon.htm . 2006-03-20 .
  4. Web site: Latest News | EuroLeague. October 21, 2023. Euroleague Basketball.
  5. Web site: Fran Vazquez to Malaga, Alex Abrines to Barcelona..
  6. Web site: Fran Vázquez ya es el máximo taponador histórico de la Liga Endesa.. ACB.com. 17 April 2016. 23 April 2016. es. 8 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708010625/http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=121904. dead.
  7. News: El Iberostar Tenerife ficha a Fran Vázquez. 29 July 2016. cbcanarias.net. 29 July 2016. es.
  8. News: ACB.COM - La leyenda de Fran Vázquez llega a Basket Zaragoza . 18 July 2018 . www.acb.com . 18 July 2018 . es-ES . 18 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180718144702/http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=142211 . dead .
  9. Web site: Comunicado oficial – Retirada de Fran Vázquez. 7 May 2020. basketzaragoza.net. 7 May 2020. ES.
  10. Web site: Rossman-Reich . Philip . Orlando Magic finally renounce rights to longtime draft pick . Orlando Magic Daily . 10 July 2024 . 8 July 2024.
  11. Web site: archive.fiba.com: Players.