Rafa Luz Explained

Rafa Luz
Position:Point guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:208
League:Liga ACB
Team:MoraBanc Andorra
Number:5
Nationality:Brazilian / Spanish
Birth Date:11 February 1992
Birth Place:Araçatuba, Brazil
Career Start:2009
Years1:2009–2012
Team1:Unicaja
Years2:2009–2010
Team2:Axarquía
Years3:2011
Team3:CB Granada
Years4:2011–2012
Team4:Lucentum
Years5:2012–2015
Team5:Obradoiro
Years6:2015–2016
Team6:Flamengo
Years7:2016–2017
Team7:Baskonia
Years8:2017–2018
Team8:Franca
Years9:2018–2019
Team9:Andorra
Years10:2019–2021
Team10:Murcia
Years11:2021
Team11:Nevėžis Kėdainiai
Years12:2021–2022
Team12:Bilbao Basket
Years13:2022–present
Team13:Andorra
Highlights:

Rafael Freire Luz (born February 11, 1992), commonly known as Rafa Luz, is a Brazilian-Spanish professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB. He is a point guard.

Early years

Rafa Luz, the brother of several international players for the Brazilian national women's team, was called up to the Brazilian national under-18 team, at the age of 15.

In October 2009, after spending two seasons with Unicaja's junior youth teams, Luz got a Spanish passport.[1]

Professional career

Luz signed for the 2010–11 ACB season with the Spanish club Unicaja, but he ended up playing with the club's farm team, Clínicas Rincón. In March 2011, he was loaned to the Spanish club CB Granada, until the end of the season. There, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in the Spanish ACB League. In August 2011, Unicaja loaned him to Spanish club Lucentum Alicante. Luz averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in the 2011–12 ACB season.

In August 2012, Luz ended his contract with Unicaja Málaga, and signed a new contract with Spanish club Blu:sens Monbús Obradoiro.[2] He played with the Galician team until 2015, when he left Spain, and returned to Brazil, after signing a new one-year deal with Flamengo of the Brazilian NBB league.

In July 2016, Luz signed a two-year deal with the Spanish club Baskonia.[3] In July 2017, Luz split up from the Basque entity.[4]

On July 19, 2018, Luz signed with MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB.[5] On July 16, 2019, Luz signed a two-year deal with UCAM Murcia.[6]

On February 28, 2021, he has signed with Nevėžis Kėdainiai of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[7]

On July 14, 2021, he has signed with Bilbao Basket of the Liga ACB.[8]

National team career

Luz was a part of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team that won the silver medal at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, which was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He also played at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2015 Pan American Games, where he won a gold medal, and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20090906163603/http://www.basketaxarquia.com/leb-oro/cumbre-por-rafael-freire/ Cumbre por Rafael Freire .
  2. http://www.hoy.es/agencias/20120822/deportes/baloncesto/rafa-freire-me-identifico-filosofia_201208221517.html Rafa Freire: "Me identifico con la filosofía del Obradoiro"
  3. Web site: Rafa Luz is the second signing for the 2016-17 season - Saski Baskonia. Saski Baskonia. 15 July 2016. 15 July 2016.
  4. Web site: ¡Gracias por todo, Rafa Luz! - Saski Baskonia. Saski Baskonia. 3 July 2017. es-ES. 3 July 2017.
  5. News: ACB.COM - Luz para el MoraBanc Andorra . 19 July 2018 . www.acb.com . 19 July 2018 . es-ES.
  6. News: Ucam Murcia signs Rafa Luz . 19 July 2019 . Sportando . 19 July 2019.
  7. News: Rafa Luz reportedly close to signing with Nevezis. February 28, 2021. Sportando. En. March 8, 2021. Lupo . Nicola .
  8. News: Rafa Luz joins Bilbao Basket. July 14, 2021. Sportando. En. August 5, 2021. Carchia . Emiliano .
  9. https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/rafael%20luz/pid//_//players.html Rafael LUZ (BRA).