Spain's Sergio Rodriguez retires from international basketball
MADRID (Spain) - Another member of Spain's golden generation has decided to draw the curtain on his national team career as point guard Sergio Rodriguez has called it a day in international basketball.
Rodriguez, 35, made the announcement a few weeks after Spain's Quarter-Final defeat to the United States at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
"After some days of rest and reflection," he said in a Twitter post titled "Un Viaje Fantastico (A Fantastic Journey), "after so many years in the national team the moment has arrived to say adios.
"It has not been easy, but I am sure that it's the appropriate moment ... all of my expectations when I began have been surpassed, the success and experiences."
Un viaje fantástico.
— Sergio Rodriguez (@SergioRodriguez) August 25, 2021
Después de estos días de descanso y reflexión, tras tantos años en la Selección Nacional ha llegado el momento de decir adiós. No ha sido fácil, pero estoy seguro que es el momento apropiado. pic.twitter.com/UeYWHPddjq
One of the finest playmakers on the Old Continent since he burst onto the scene with Spain's youth teams, Rodriguez made his first appearance with the senior side at FIBA EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade, but it was his second that was more memorable.
He made the squad to play at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2006 in Japan and electrified crowds with alley-oop passes to another youngster at the time, Rudy Fernandez.
Spain captured their first world title. After playing at the FIBA EuroBasket the following year in Madrid where Spain lost at the death to Russia, Rodriguez was absent from the national team but returned for the 2012 Olympics in London and played an important role ever since.
One of his best displays was at EuroBasket 2015 in Paris, where he provided a vital piece to a Spain team that won the competition for the third time since 2009. He was named to the All-Star Five at the end of the competition, one where Spain edged France in the Semi-Finals and then beat Lithuania in the title game.
Rodriguez lived incredible moments with the national team, including at FIBA EuroBasket 2015
His last tournament with Spain ended in disappointment, a Quarter-Final exit at this summer's Tokyo Games.
Rodriguez leaves international basketball with numerous medals and plenty of memories.
Pau and Marc Gasol immediately announced their retirements from international basketball immediately after Spain's Quarter-Final defeat to the United States and now another iconic player has joined them.
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