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Real Madrid Signs Longtime NBA Center

Alex Kirschenbaum

Dec 12, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Bruno Fernando (24) and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) tip off during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Bruno Fernando (24) and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) tip off during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

After being waived by the Toronto Raptors midseason, former six-year NBA center Bruno Fernando has opted to continue his career internationally.

The 6-foot-9 vet has inked a two-year agreement with EuroLeague and Spanish Liga ACB squad Real Madrid, according to a team press statement.

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The Maryland product was selected with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but had his draft rights traded to the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the season.

In 89 bouts with the Hawks (13 starts) across two seasons, he was on the fringes of the club's rotation, averaging 3.3 points on 49.8 percent shooting from the field and 60.3 percent shooting from the foul line, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists during 10.6 minutes per.

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Fernando was flipped to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team deal with the Sacramento Kings in August of 2021, but split his tenure between Boston and its NBAGL affiliate, the Maine Celtics. He was traded again that year, to the Houston Rockets at the February trade deadline.

Fernando was retained by the Rockets initially on a two-way deal inked in the summer of 2022, but saw that contract converted into a four-season standard agreement ahead of the 2022-23 season. He was traded back to the Hawks at the 2023 trade deadline.

The Hawks wavied him after the 2023-24 NBA season. He inked a standard deal with the Toronto Raptors this past summer, but was cut earlier this month.

Fernando, 26, has thus far appeared in 220 games (21 starts) for the Hawks, Celtics, Rockets and Raptors. In 10.6 minutes per bout, Fernando holds averages of 4.0 points on 54.3 percent shooting from the floor and 75 percent shooting from the foul line, plus 3.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.5 blocks.

He's played limited G League time for the College Park Skyhawks — Atlanta's NBAGL affiliate — and the Maine Celtics, averaging 12.5 points on 63 percent shooting from the floor and 50 percent shooting from foul line, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 blocks and 0.7 steals in his six regular season games.

The athletic young big man has hops for days, and could make quite the impression on the EuroLeague.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

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