Raül López (basketball) facts for kids
López with Khimki Moscow Region in 2010.
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 15 April 1980 Vic, Spain |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1998–2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | DKV Joventut | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Real Madrid | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Utah Jazz | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Akasvayu Girona | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Real Madrid | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Khimki Moscow Region | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2016 | Bilbao Basket | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Raúl López Molist (born April 15, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He was a talented point guard, which is the player who usually brings the ball up the court and sets up plays for their team. Raúl played for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA), which is a major basketball league in North America. He was born in Vic, a town in Catalonia, Spain. Raúl was even featured on the Spanish version of the NBA Live 2004 video game.
Contents
Raúl López: A Skilled Point Guard
Many people thought Raúl López played a lot like famous NBA players such as Steve Nash and Tony Parker. He was known for being very fast on the court. He also had amazing "court vision," meaning he could see the whole game and find his teammates for easy passes. Raúl was also very unselfish and loved to pass the ball. He could also create his own shots, which is a key skill in basketball today.
Playing Professional Basketball
Starting in Europe
Raúl López began his professional basketball journey in 1998. He was just 18 years old when he joined Joventut Badalona in the Spanish ACB League. In 2000, he moved to another big Spanish team, Real Madrid, where he played for two seasons. After his time in the NBA, he returned to Spain in 2005. He signed with Akasvayu Girona for a season.
Time in the NBA
In 2001, Raúl López was chosen in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft. He was the 24th player picked overall, and the Utah Jazz selected him. In September 2002, he signed his first NBA contract. However, he had to have surgery on his right knee for a serious injury called a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This meant he missed the entire 2002–03 NBA season.
Luckily, Raúl fully recovered and played in the 2003–04 NBA season. He played in all 82 regular season games for the Jazz. He was a backup point guard, playing about 19 minutes per game. He averaged 7.0 points, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 rebounds.
On August 3, 2005, Raúl was part of a very big trade in the NBA. He was traded from the Jazz to the Memphis Grizzlies. This trade involved five teams, 13 players, and two draft picks! However, the Grizzlies later decided not to keep him on their team for the 2005–06 NBA season. Raúl's last NBA game was on February 15, 2005. He scored 7 points and had 1 assist in that game.
Back to European Courts
After his time in the NBA, Raúl López went back to play for Real Madrid in July 2006. In 2009, he moved to a Russian club called Khimki Moscow Region. Then, in July 2011, he returned to Spain again. He signed a two-year contract with Bilbao Basket.
On March 3, 2016, Raúl López announced that he would retire from playing basketball. His last season was the 2015–16 ACB season.
Playing for Spain
Junior Team Success
Raúl López was a key player for Spain's junior national basketball teams. He helped them win gold medals at two big tournaments. They won the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
Senior Team Achievements
Raúl also played for the main Spain national basketball team. He was part of the team that went to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He also won a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2001 tournament.
Before the 2002 FIBA World Championship, Raúl had another knee injury. It was the same right knee that he had injured before. Despite this, he continued to play for his country. He won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He also earned a gold medal at the EuroBasket 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Raül López para niños
