Juan Fernandez (193-G-1990, college: Temple) is a 34 year old 193cm guard from Argentina, but also has the Italian citizenship playing his 10th professional season and first with Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy-Serie A). He has played most of his pro career in Italy, but also played in Spain and Argentina. He played at Temple University (NCAA) from 2008-2012 reaching the NCAA tournament each season. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against the Hamburg Towers.

Thanks Juan for talking to germanhoops.com. Before we begin with your career, I have to tell you that we have a few connections however one wants to label it. I have been in Argentina 17 times in my life dating from 1983-2007. Unfortunately I haven´t been there in a while. Most of my visits were in 90´s. Have you ever met a person that has been there as much as I have?

That’s great. Argentina is a beautiful country; I hope you’re able to make it back there soon.

My first longer stay was 1986 when I witnessed Argentina beat Germany in the world cup in a living room in Argentina filled with about 30 enthuastic Argentines. I had to keep quiet and watch how much I cheered for Germany. Lol. Anyway 2 guys from that visit I´m still friends with today as well as some others that I met in the 90´s. I have got to know the Argentine people as very friendly and loyal no matter how bad the conditions may be. What do you think makes Argentine people in general this way?

Argentinians are super passionate and proud people. I think, as South Americans, we’ve had to become really resilient over time, dealing with a lot of challenges as a country. That resilience has taught us that we’re stronger when we come together. Socializing is just part of who we are; we don’t overthink it. You can organize an asado for 30 people in five minutes, no problem. Our tradition of drinking ‘mate’ is another great example. Mate isn’t just a drink; it’s a way to connect and share time with others. I think our history, with all its ups and downs, mixed with the influence of our European roots, especially Spain and Italy, has made us passionate, resilient, empathetic, and really good at sticking together when it counts. That combination is what makes Argentinians who we are.

I actually got to know normal people in a small town about 500 kilometers west of Buenos Aires in my first visit to the town in 86. But my family actually had connections to Argentina with a very well known family. I will never forget many incredible times with them especially their sons who were always so nice to me despite me being 10+ years older. The family I´m talking about are the Roemmers. The names Maradona and Messi are household names, but how well respected is this name in Argentina?

In Argentina, many respected names and people have done great things for the country, and there is no doubt about that. However, soccer is like our religion. If you can make Argentinians proud and represent them well inside a soccer field, you will win their hearts. That’s what Messi and Maradona have managed to do.

My other connection is TJ DiLeo. I covered him for many years in Germany. You were teammates with him at Temple. How was your relationship with him then and did a friendship remain in the last 15 years?

I have a great relationship with TJ and his family. They were among the few people who took me in during a difficult transition, my first time leaving the comfort of my home in Argentina to chase my college dream in the United States. Our paths with TJ also crossed in Europe. He was a great teammate and an even better friend. Our relationship continues to this day. These relationships are what I cherish the most about my career, even more than any trophy or individual accolade.

You were born in Argentina, but also have the Italian citizenship. How is it for you personally to have been born in Argentina and be teammates with so many Italians each season. Do they see you as an Italian or more as an Argentine?

Because Argentinian and Italian cultures share many similarities, it has been really easy for me to adapt and blend in with my Italian teammates. I believe they consider me more Italian than foreign, although they never forget I’m Argentinian; I wear that label proudly. It’s nice to feel so welcomed in this country; I’ve made many friends and met wonderful people. Both of my kids were born in this country. My wife and I also got married here. Italy definitely feels like home for my family and me.

You have been a professional player since 2012 and have played most of your career in Italy. Was the love for Italy so big that you never played anywhere else besides Spain and Argentina?

I’ve always made career decisions in line with what I thought was also best for my family. Because we love living in Italy, we always decided to stay when I had the option. What led me to pursue a year in Spain were some challenges experienced in Italy during the off-season, which made me feel like it was time for a change of direction and look for new stimuli. I honestly never saw myself playing anywhere else other than these two countries.

Your playing your first season with Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy-Serie A). You have played in some very pretty places in Italy, but now Venice is home. You couldn´t be living in a more beautiful place. What do you enjoy most about that city?

Venice is unique for obvious reasons. Having played in Italy for many years, we had visited this city in the past, although we never lived nearby. Getting to experience it as a local and exploring it more often is something we’re extremely grateful for. People spend a lot of energy, money, and time to travel here and visit Venice. We’re very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.

This is only the second time that you have played international club basketball in the Eurocup. You played once very early in your career. How has this competition helped your game grow? You see great competition in Serie A, but it must be a big plus to be able to play here.

The Eurocup is a great competition. Any chance you get to play at a European level is a great opportunity for a player to keep growing and challenge yourself against high-level competition. Although the schedule and the traveling sometimes make the season a little more demanding, I’m grateful for the opportunity to get to know many beautiful places and play at some of the nicest arenas in Europe. It’s great for us to challenge ourselves as a team and keep growing as well.

How tough is it getting minutes this season. There are many ex NBA players at the guard position with Mcgruder, Munford and Ennis. Is every practice for you like a game 7 simply because your fighting to get minutes in the next game.

I knew my role very clearly coming into the team this season. After over two years away from professional sports, I also had clear goals and objectives for myself. I wanted to enjoy my experience playing basketball again, prove to myself that I could get back to playing at a high level, and help the team wherever my help would be needed, either on or off the court at any given time. My personal journey, at this time, goes way beyond how many minutes I play.

You only averaged in double figures once as a professional, but usually around 8-9 points per game. Was that “role” player a job that you grew into well as a professional or was it tougher?

I don’t consider scoring the most important part of the game or something that defines whether you’re a starter or a ‘role’ player. I’ve always tried to put the team first and help where I saw help was needed. There have been teams where I was asked to take more of an offensive role and teams where my job was to facilitate for others as a point guard. I regard intelligence, selflessness, and adaptability as some of the most important attributes any basketball player could have.

You played 5 seasons with :Pallacanestro Alma Trieste and helped the club move up to Serie A in your first season. What do you remember being extra special about that winning team?

Trieste holds a very special place in my heart. The bond my family and I created with this city, the club, and its people is truly something special. I always say that the team we won that championship with was one of the best teams I’ve ever played for, not for its talent on the court but for the relationships we managed to build outside of it. I still stay in touch with every player on that team and even the coaching staff. I believe that was the key to our success that year.

You were teammates with Javonte Green. 2 years later he reached the NBA and has been there since. Would you have thought back in 2017 that he could reach the NBA so quickly via Europe and stay there?

I wouldn’t say I knew he would reach the NBA so quickly because something like that depends on so many variables beyond what any player can control. I definitely knew he had the potential, however, to make it to the NBA. Javo was one of the best players and teammates I’ve ever shared a team with, and I’m so happy to see him shine in one of the best leagues in the world.

You were teammates with American Ricky Hickman. He had won the Euroleague. What memories do you have of him? How vital was it having a veteran like that on the team?

We didn’t share much time on the court with Ricky because he got there after our season had started, and then that year, the season stopped because of COVID-19. It was good to share the team with someone like him, and his experience helped us during a difficult time as a team.

You played 5 seasons with Italian veteran Daniele Cavaliero and then he retired. How vital was his leadership and overall having him as a teammate? Could a guy like you soak anything up from his words of wisdom?

Dani is one of my very good friends to this day and one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. I’m grateful to have shared a team with him for so many years, and our time together definitely helped me mature as a player and as a person. We also share similar interests outside of basketball, so our conversations would go beyond just sports. He was also the first teammate I ever opened up to about my struggles right before retiring from basketball in 2022. His support and guidance during that difficult personal time is something I will be forever thankful for.

You played a season with Cafes Candelas Breogan Lugo (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 9.0ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 87.8%. What kind of an experience was Spain? What did you enjoy most about the season?

The transition was challenging for me. The club was great, and its people really welcomed me and my family with open arms. However, as I said before, I was coming off of a challenging post-season experience in Italy, and in some ways, it was difficult for me to leave that behind. I didn’t have the maturity and mental strength needed to fully overcome a moment like that back then, and I believe I paid for that during the season in Spain. The human and social side of the experience was amazing. We loved living in Lugo and experiencing their culture. On the basketball side, although I wouldn’t categorize it as a bad season for me, I definitely would have liked to play better and help the team more than I did.

You played 3 seasons with Centrale del Latte Brescia (Italy-Serie A2) helping win the Serie 2 title in 2016. What do you remember being so special about that team?

I always say that there are two places in Italy my family and I will never forget, and those are the two cities where my kids were born. My daughter was born in Brescia, and my son in Trieste. Brescia was also where my wife and I got married, so the place holds great significance for us. To add to that, it was my first championship as a professional, so that’s something I’ll never forget. I also still stay in touch with many of my former teammates from that team. Brescia was a great place to live in; I’m also very grateful for our experiences there.

You also played briefly with Banco di Sardegna Sassari (Italy-Serie A). They had some great veterans on that team like the Diener brothers, and Drew Gordon. What memories do you have of Drew Gordon who died a few years ago?

I actually didn’t get to play with Drew Gordon on that team. I left the team in January and he got there after that. People have told me great things about him, however, and we were all very sad to hear about his passing. May he rest in peace. I did build good relationships with many of my teammates that season, including Travis and Drake Diener. In fact, I’m now sharing the team with Amadeo Tessitori again, who was also part of that team in Sassari. It’s great to reconnect with former teammates after so long.

You played at temple University (NCAA) from 2008-2012 reaching the NCAA tournament each season. Not many guys can say they did it every season. Was your time at temple one of the best basketball years of your life?

Without a doubt, my time at Temple was one of the best and most transformative periods of my life. The college experience in the States is truly unique, and I’m very grateful that all of the teams I played for those years experienced such success on the court, something not easy to accomplish. Going to Temple was the true start to my journey of chasing the dream of becoming a professional basketball player, and it helped me create the foundations as a person that would guide the rest of my life. Although the college basketball world has drastically changed since then with the NIL, I still recommend any young player who has the opportunity to go to college in America to live the experience and get their degree while still growing and developing as an athlete in one of the best places in the world to do so.

In your freshman season you played Arizona (NCAA) at March madness playing 6 minutes. Do you remember being on the floor with James Harden? Would you ever have thought then that he could become one of the best NBA players in the last decade?

I didn’t play much of that game, so I got to watch most of it from the bench. You could tell Harden would be good, although I don’t think I imagined then that he would become the superstar he is. Although I’m not a huge fan of his game, there’s no denying he’s one of the most talented and skilled players in the NBA. I’m fortunate to have faced such level of competition in college.

Was you’re your winning shot over Penn State (NCAA) at March Madness your most fondest moment at Temple? How cool was getting to take the last shot? Your teammate Khalif Wyatt helped a bit persuading coach to draw it up.

That moment was definitely the highlight of my college basketball career. Of course, getting my degree was a huge milestone too, but that was off the court. What made this moment so special for me was knowing how much it meant to Coach Dunphy and the whole team, especially after being eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament two seasons in a row. The fact that my teammates trusted me to handle the ball and make the decision in such a big moment meant everything to me.Sure, it was amazing that the result went in our favor, but honestly, what mattered most was having their trust in such a critical situation. That feeling of being relied on by your team is way more meaningful to me as a player than making the shot.

How did Fran Dunphy groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

The main thing that Coach Dunphy did for me was to take me outside of my comfort zone. There were many tough moments together, and although I didn’t fully understand it then, I now see that he was helping me and my teammates build mental strength and develop our character. He taught me to be a leader and put the team first. “It’s never about you,” he would always say, and that’s a lesson I’ve always carried with me. We have a great relationship to this day, and I’m grateful to call him a mentor and a friend, not just a coach.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or TJ DiLeo?

TJ had the athleticism and defensive skills I never had. When it came to the offensive end, I’d say I could hold my ground. In some ways, we complemented each other on the court. It was fun sharing a team with him because we also got along very well off the court, which translated to the game during the times we played together. We understood each other.

Who was the greatest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Kawhi Leonard. After that buzzer-beater game against Penn State, we played San Diego State during the second round of the tournament. You could tell Kawhi was going to be a great player then.

Please name your 5 best teammates of alltime? Let me guess TJ DiLeo is on that list.

TJ DiLeo, Daniele Cavaliero, Andrea Coronica, Marcos Delia, Salva Arco.

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili.

Who is your GOAT?

As a former pro player and as a person, my father.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I did not see the sequel, sorry.

Thanks Juan for the chat.