Eduardo Nájera

{{Short description|Mexican retired professional basketball player}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Eduardo Nájera

| image = Eduardo Najera.jpg

|alt=Eduardo Nájera smiling with his arms folded, wearing a basketball jersey

| caption = Nájera in 2008

| position = Scout

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 8

| weight_lb = 235

| league = NBA

| team = Dallas Mavericks

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|07|11}}

| birth_place = Ciudad Meoqui, Chihuahua, Mexico

| high_school = Cornerstone Christian Academy
(San Antonio, Texas)

| college = Oklahoma (1996–2000)

| draft_year = 2000

| draft_round = 2

| draft_pick = 38

| draft_team = Houston Rockets

| career_start = 2000

| career_end = 2012

| career_number = 14, 21

| career_position = Power forward / small forward

| coach_start = 2012

| coach_end = 2015

| years1 = {{nbay|2000|start}}–{{nbay|2003|end}}

| team1 = Dallas Mavericks

| years2 = {{nbay|2004|full=y}}

| team2 = Golden State Warriors

| years3 = {{nbay|2004|end}}–{{nbay|2007|end}}

| team3 = Denver Nuggets

| years4 = {{nbay|2008|start}}–{{nbay|2009|end}}

| team4 = New Jersey Nets

| years5 = {{nbay|2009|end}}

| team5 = Dallas Mavericks

| years6 = {{nbay|2010|start}}–{{nbay|2011|end}}

| team6 = Charlotte Bobcats

| cyears1 = 2012–2015

| cteam1 = Texas Legends

| highlights =

Third-team All-American – AP, NABC (2000)
Chip Hilton Player of the Year (2000)
First-team All-Big 12 (2000)
Second-team All-Big 12 (1999)
Big 12 All-Defensive team (2000)
Big 12 All-Freshman team (1997)

| bbr = najered01

| profile = eduardo_najera

}}

Eduardo Alonso Nájera Pérez[http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/najera_001018.html Meet Eduardo Najera] ({{IPA|es|eˈðwaɾðo ˈnaxeɾa}}) (born July 11, 1976) is a Mexican former professional basketball player who is currently a scout for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a pregame and postgame analyst on Mavericks Live on Fox Sports Southwest, where he is identified as Eddie Avila. Before being promoted to a scout with the Mavs, he was head coach of the Texas Legends of the NBA D-League. He is regarded as the greatest Mexican basketball player ever.

Personal information

Nájera was only the second Mexican-born NBA player (Horacio Llamas was the first) and was the first Mexican player to be drafted. He is the son of Servando Nájera and Rosa Irene Pérez.[http://www.interbasket.net/players/najera.htm, Player Profiles by Interbasket, Eduardo Najera]

College basketball

Nájera played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, from 1997 to 2000, becoming a major star there. He helped the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances during his college career, as well as finishing in the school's all-time top ten in nine statistical categories. Before being drafted into the NBA in 2000, Nájera received rave reviews from scouts, who boasted on Nájera's quick first step and extraordinary rebounding ability. He is only the second Mexican-born player to join the NBA.[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/eduardo_najera/bio.html NBA.com: Eduardo Najera Bio Page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202215542/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/eduardo_najera/bio.html |date=December 2, 2010 }} He was the first Mexican player to be drafted into the NBA (Horacio Llamas being undrafted).

Nájera played for the Mexican team in the 1997 World University Games and helped them achieve a fourth-place finish in the 1999 World University Games.

Professional career

= Dallas Mavericks (2000–2004) =

He saw significant action as a member of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000–01 and 2001–02, but recurrent knee injuries limited his action in his last two years in Dallas.

He coached at the first-ever Basketball Without Borders Americas tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the 2004 NBA Summer of Goodwill.[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/eduardo_najera/bio.html NBA.com, Eduardo Najera, Bio page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202215542/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/eduardo_najera/bio.html |date=December 2, 2010 }}

= Golden State Warriors (2004–2005) =

On August 24, 2004, Nájera was traded along with Luis Flores, Christian Laettner, Mladen Sekularac, cash, a 2007 first round draft pick, and another future first round draft pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Erick Dampier, Dan Dickau, Evan Eschmeyer, and Steve Logan.{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/dallas_trade_082404.html | title = Warriors And Dallas Consummate Eight-Player Trade | work = NBA.com | date = August 24, 2004 | access-date = July 13, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090308140203/http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/dallas_trade_082404.html | archive-date = March 8, 2009 }} In Golden State, Najera again put in modest minutes and was a solid contributor.

= Denver Nuggets (2005–2008) =

Image:Dn21.jpg

On February 24, 2005, Nájera was then sent to the Denver Nuggets along with Luis Flores and a future first-round pick in exchange for Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Rodney White, where he would have some of his most productive seasons as an NBA player.{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets_acquire_najera_flores.html | title = Nuggets Acquire Nájera, Flores, First-Round Pick From Warriors | work = NBA.com | date = February 24, 2005 | access-date = July 13, 2010}}

Also in 2006, an exhibition match was played in Monterrey, Mexico, between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets.

On April 27, 2006, Nájera started his first playoff game for the Nuggets in Game 3 of their first round series facing the Los Angeles Clippers. He replaced Kenyon Martin who was suspended indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team".

He was partly involved in the December 2006 Knicks–Nuggets brawl. While not involved in the actual fighting, he did try to separate the players. He was ejected from the game for leaving the bench.{{cite web |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-players-ejected-in-ugly-nba-brawl/ |title=10 Players Ejected In Ugly NBA Brawl |first=Scott |last=Conroy |work=CBS News |date=December 16, 2006 |publisher=CBS |location=New York |access-date=July 29, 2014}}

= New Jersey Nets (2008–2010) =

On July 11, 2008, Nájera signed a contract with the New Jersey Nets for 4 years $12 million.{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/nets/news/najera_hayes_080711.html | title = Nets Reach Agreements With Eduardo Nájera and Jarvis Hayes | work = NBA.com | date = July 11, 2008 | access-date = July 13, 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/07/11/nets.moves.ap/index.html |title=Nets reach agreements with Nájera, Hayes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080716093254/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/07/11/nets.moves.ap/index.html |archive-date=July 16, 2008 }} He stated that he would make it a point to turn the Nets' young forwards Yi Jianlian and Ryan Anderson and center Brook Lopez into stronger, tougher players. Nájera turned down more money and a chance to return to his college state, Oklahoma City Thunder. He also turned down an offer from the New Orleans Hornets in order to take a chance to lead a young and talented New Orleans team.

= Return to Dallas (2010) =

On January 11, 2010, Nájera was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams.{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/mavericks_acquire_forward_edua_2010_01_11.html | title = MAVERICKS ACQUIRE FORWARD EDUARDO NAJERA | work = NBA.com | date = January 11, 2010 | access-date = July 13, 2010}}

= Charlotte Bobcats (2010–2012) =

On July 13, 2010, Nájera was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with Erick Dampier and Matt Carroll in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinça.{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/bobcats/mavericks_trade_100713.html | title = Bobcats Acquire Carroll, Dampier and Nájera from Mavericks | work = NBA.com | date = July 13, 2010 | access-date = July 13, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100811012714/http://www.nba.com/bobcats/mavericks_trade_100713.html | archive-date = August 11, 2010 }} Nájera's final NBA game ever was played on April 6, 2012, in a 90–95 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks where he only played for two minutes and recorded no stats, suffering a career-ending facial injury.{{cite web | url = https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/4/6/2931663/eduardo-najera-injury-video-fractured-skull-bucks-vs-bobcats | title = Eduardo Najera Injury Video: Fractured Skull Suffered Following Sharp Elbow | work = SBNation.com | date = April 6, 2012 | access-date = December 7, 2022}}

Coaching career

In 2012, after he retired as a player, Nájera became head coach of the NBA D-League's Texas Legends.[http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=10799 D-League Texas Legends name Eduardo Nájera head coach] Prior to the 2015–16 season, Texas replaced him with his assistant coach, Nick Van Exel.{{cite news |last1=Grant |first1=Ethan |last2=O'Dell |first2=Chris |title=Change at the top: Legends name ex-Mavericks guard Van Exel head coach |date=July 9, 2015 |newspaper=Frisco Enterprise |url=http://starlocalmedia.com/friscoenterprise/sports/change-at-the-top-legends-name-ex-mavericks-guard-van/article_f0b65b26-2679-11e5-baee-afd891944405.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115143040/https://starlocalmedia.com/friscoenterprise/sports/change-at-the-top-legends-name-ex-mavericks-guard-van/article_f0b65b26-2679-11e5-baee-afd891944405.html |archive-date=January 15, 2020 |url-status=live }}

Off the court

In 2000, Eduardo Nájera was named Third Team All-American by both the Associated Press and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, being the first Mexican-born to be named so.

In 2000, Nájera graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in sociology.

In the same year, he received the Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame, an award given to a player who has demonstrated personal character both on and off the court.

In 2001, Nájera served as the United Nations Drug Control Programme Goodwill Ambassador for Sports Against Drugs. In 2004, he established the Eduardo Najera Foundation for Latino Achievement, which provides college scholarships for outstanding Latino students facing barriers to their educations, and in 2006, he received the Chopper Travaglini Award for demonstrating outstanding charity work in the Denver community.{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/nuggets/community/eddie_choppers_award_2006.html |title=2006 Chopper Travaglini Award |work=Denver Nuggets |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826015809/http://www.nba.com/nuggets/community/eddie_choppers_award_2006.html |archive-date=August 26, 2007 }}

NBA career statistics

Image:Edu Najera.jpg

= Regular season =

| align="left" | {{nbay|2000}}

| align="left" | Dallas

| 40 || 4 || 10.8 || .523 || .333 || .424 || 2.4 || .7 || .3 || .2 || 3.3

| align="left" | {{nbay|2001}}

| align="left" | Dallas

| 62 || 11 || 21.9 || .500 || .000 || .676 || 5.5 || .6 || .9 || .5 || 6.5

| align="left" | {{nbay|2002}}

| align="left" | Dallas

| 48 || 12 || 23.0 || .558 || .000 || .681 || 4.6 || 1.0 || .8 || .5 || 6.7

| align="left" | {{nbay|2003}}

| align="left" | Dallas

| 58 || 7 || 12.4 || .444 || .500 || .652 || 2.7 || .4 || .6 || .3 || 3.0

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2|{{nbay|2004}}

| align="left" | Golden State

| 42 || 4 || 14.5 || .407 || .400 || .644 || 2.8 || .9 || .4 || .2 || 4.2

| align="left" | Denver

| 26 || 0 || 22.1 || .500 || .000 || .630 || 4.8 || 1.1 || .9 || .5 || 6.9

| align="left" | {{nbay|2005}}

| align="left" | Denver

| 64 || 3 || 22.6 || .422 || .333 || .781 || 5.1 || .8 || .8 || .5 || 5.4

| align="left" | {{nbay|2006}}

| align="left" | Denver

| 75 || 36 || 22.1 || .576 || .083 || .715 || 4.1 || .9 || 1.0 || .3 || 6.6

| align="left" | {{nbay|2007}}

| align="left" | Denver

| 78 || 3 || 21.3 || .473 || .361 || .708 || 4.3 || 1.2 || .9 || .5 || 5.9

| align="left" | {{nbay|2008}}

| align="left" | New Jersey

| 27 || 0 || 11.8 || .446 || .200 || .364 || 2.5 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 2.9

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2|{{nbay|2009}}

| align="left" | New Jersey

| 13 || 2 || 15.7 || .377 || .176 || .500 || 2.9 || 1.2 || .7 || .2 || 3.8

| align="left" | Dallas

| 33 || 3 || 14.6 || .452 || .340 || .667 || 2.3 || .4 || .5 || .4 || 3.3

| align="left" | {{nbay|2010}}

| align="left" | Charlotte

| 31 || 0 || 12.0 || .361 || .324 || .545 || 1.4 || .6 || .4 || .2 || 2.2

| align="left" | {{nbay|2011}}

| align="left" | Charlotte

| 22 || 0 || 12.3 || .375 || .276 || .500 || 2.3 || .5 || .9 || .2 || 2.6

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 619 || 85 || 18.1 || .481 || .311 || .671 || 3.7 || .8 || .7 || .4 || 4.9

= Playoffs =

| align="left" | 2001

| align="left" | Dallas

| 7 || 0 || 6.3 || .529 || .750 || .000 || 2.1 || .1 || .1 || .1 || 3.0

| align="left" | 2002

| align="left" | Dallas

| 8 || 4 || 15.3 || .696 || .000 || .625 || 1.6 || .1 || .4 || .0 || 4.6

| align="left" | 2003

| align="left" | Dallas

| 19 || 5 || 20.7 || .453 || .000 || .792 || 3.9 || .8 || .7 || .2 || 6.1

| align="left" | 2004

| align="left" | Dallas

| 5 || 0 || 11.4 || .455 || .000 || 1.000 || 3.4 || .6 || .6 || .4 || 2.4

| align="left" | 2005

| align="left" | Denver

| 2 || 0 || 6.5 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .5 || .0 || .0 || .0

| align="left" | 2006

| align="left" | Denver

| 4 || 3 || 22.3 || .214 || .000 || .500 || 3.8 || .5 || .8 || .0 || 2.0

| align="left" | 2007

| align="left" | Denver

| 5 || 0 || 19.2 || .235 || .000 || .500 || 5.6 || .4 || .4 || .2 || 1.8

| align="left" | 2008

| align="left" | Denver

| 4 || 0 || 19.5 || .500 || .400 || .000 || 3.3 || 1.5 || .8 || .3 || 4.0

| align="left" | 2010

| align="left" | Dallas

| 5 || 0 || 7.2 || .250 || .000 || .000 || 1.8 || .0 || .4 || .0 || .8

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 59 || 12 || 15.7 || .443 || .294 || .750 || 3.2 || .5 || .5 || .2 || 3.8

= Career highs =

Points: 19: 2 times{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Eduardo-Najera/Bests/664|title=Eduardo Najera Career Bests and Rankings, Charlotte Hornets, News, Rumors, NBA Stats, NCAA Stats, Game Logs, Awards – RealGM|website=basketball.realgm.com|access-date=June 10, 2018}}
Rebounds: 15: vs. Houston 04/11/02
Assists: 7: @ Milwaukee 01/09/09
Steals: 6: 2 times
Blocks: 4: vs. Seattle 12/29/05