Eduardo Alonso Nájera Pérez
/ref> () (born July 11, 1976) is a Mexican former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player who is currently a scout for the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA). He is also a pregame and postgame analyst on Mavericks Live on

Fox Sports Southwest FanDuel Sports Network Southwest is a Texas-based regional sports network owned by Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group) and operated as an affiliate of FanDuel Sports Network. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of profe ...

, 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.

College basketball

Nájera played

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

at the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

, in

Norman, Oklahoma Norman () is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, 3rd most populous city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,026 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the most populous city and the county seat of Clevel ...

, United States, from 1997 to 2000, becoming a major star there. He helped the team to four consecutive

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

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 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, 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.NBA.com: Eduardo Najera Bio Page
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

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.

Golden State Warriors (2004–2005)

On August 24, 2004, Nájera was traded along with Luis Flores,

Christian Laettner Christian Donald Laettner (, ; born August 17, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. His college career for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball, Duke Blue Devils is widely regarded as one of the best in National Collegi ...

, Mladen Sekularac, cash, a 2007 first round draft pick, and another future first round draft pick to the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

in exchange for

Erick Dampier Erick Travez Dampier (born July 14, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. ...

, Dan Dickau, Evan Eschmeyer, and Steve Logan. In Golden State, Najera again put in modest minutes and was a solid contributor.

Denver Nuggets (2005–2008)

On February 24, 2005, Nájera was then sent to the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

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. Also in 2006, an exhibition match was played in

Monterrey Monterrey (, , abbreviated as MtY) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is the ninth-largest city and the second largest metropolitan area, after Greater Mexico City. Located at the foothills of th ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, between the

and the

. 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 The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...

. 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.

New Jersey Nets (2008–2010)

On July 11, 2008, Nájera signed a contract with the

New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

for 4 years $12 million. 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 The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...

. He also turned down an offer from the

New Orleans Hornets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

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

for Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams.

Charlotte Bobcats (2010–2012)

On July 13, 2010, Nájera was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with

and Matt Carroll in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinça. 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.

Coaching career

In 2012, after he retired as a player, Nájera became head coach of the NBA D-League's Texas Legends. Prior to the 2015–16 season, Texas replaced him with his assistant coach,

Nick Van Exel Nickey Maxwell Van Exel (born November 27, 1971) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who last served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Van Exel played for six NBA ...

Off the court

In 2000, Eduardo Nájera was named Third Team All-American by both the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

and the

National Association of Basketball Coaches The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of men's college basketball coaches. It was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the men's basketball head coach for the Univ ...

, being the first Mexican-born to be named so. In 2000, Nájera graduated from the

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 The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

, 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.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, 40 , , 4 , , 10.8 , , .523 , , .333 , , .424 , , 2.4 , , .7 , , .3 , , .2 , , 3.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 62 , , 11 , , 21.9 , , .500 , , .000 , , .676 , , 5.5 , , .6 , , .9 , , .5 , , 6.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 48 , , 12 , , 23.0 , , .558 , , .000 , , .681 , , 4.6 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , .5 , , 6.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 58 , , 7 , , 12.4 , , .444 , , .500 , , .652 , , 2.7 , , .4 , , .6 , , .3 , , 3.0 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , align="left" , Golden State , 42 , , 4 , , 14.5 , , .407 , , .400 , , .644 , , 2.8 , , .9 , , .4 , , .2 , , 4.2 , - , align="left" ,

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, 26 , , 0 , , 22.1 , , .500 , , .000 , , .630 , , 4.8 , , 1.1 , , .9 , , .5 , , 6.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 64 , , 3 , , 22.6 , , .422 , , .333 , , .781 , , 5.1 , , .8 , , .8 , , .5 , , 5.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 75 , , 36 , , 22.1 , , .576 , , .083 , , .715 , , 4.1 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 6.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 78 , , 3 , , 21.3 , , .473 , , .361 , , .708 , , 4.3 , , 1.2 , , .9 , , .5 , , 5.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, 27 , , 0 , , 11.8 , , .446 , , .200 , , .364 , , 2.5 , , .7 , , .4 , , .1 , , 2.9 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , align="left" ,

, 13 , , 2 , , 15.7 , , .377 , , .176 , , .500 , , 2.9 , , 1.2 , , .7 , , .2 , , 3.8 , - , align="left" ,

, 33 , , 3 , , 14.6 , , .452 , , .340 , , .667 , , 2.3 , , .4 , , .5 , , .4 , , 3.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Charlotte , 31 , , 0 , , 12.0 , , .361 , , .324 , , .545 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , .4 , , .2 , , 2.2 , - , align="left" , , 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 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

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, 7 , , 0 , , 6.3 , , .529 , , .750 , , .000 , , 2.1 , , .1 , , .1 , , .1 , , 3.0 , - , align="left" ,

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, align="left" ,

, 8 , , 4 , , 15.3 , , .696 , , .000 , , .625 , , 1.6 , , .1 , , .4 , , .0 , , 4.6 , - , align="left" ,

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

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, 19 , , 5 , , 20.7 , , .453 , , .000 , , .792 , , 3.9 , , .8 , , .7 , , .2 , , 6.1 , - , align="left" ,

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

, align="left" ,

, 5 , , 0 , , 11.4 , , .455 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 3.4 , , .6 , , .6 , , .4 , , 2.4 , - , align="left" ,

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, align="left" ,

, 2 , , 0 , , 6.5 , , .000 , , .000 , , .000 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , - , align="left" ,

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, align="left" ,

, 4 , , 3 , , 22.3 , , .214 , , .000 , , .500 , , 3.8 , , .5 , , .8 , , .0 , , 2.0 , - , align="left" ,

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

, align="left" ,

, 5 , , 0 , , 19.2 , , .235 , , .000 , , .500 , , 5.6 , , .4 , , .4 , , .2 , , 1.8 , - , align="left" ,

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, align="left" ,

, 4 , , 0 , , 19.5 , , .500 , , .400 , , .000 , , 3.3 , , 1.5 , , .8 , , .3 , , 4.0 , - , align="left" ,

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

, align="left" ,

, 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 *Rebounds: 15: vs. Houston 04/11/02 *Assists: 7: @ Milwaukee 01/09/09 *Steals: 6: 2 times *Blocks: 4: vs. Seattle 12/29/05

Head coaching record

NBA Developmental League

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Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, style="text-align:left;", 2012–13 , 50, , 21, , 29, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Central, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - , style="text-align:left;",

, style="text-align:left;", 2013–14 , 50, , 24, , 26, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - , style="text-align:left;",

, style="text-align:left;", 2014–15 , 50, , 23, , 27, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Southwest, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 150, , 67, , 83, , , , , , 0, , 0, , 0, , , ,

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Najera, Eduardo 1976 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players Basketball players from Chihuahua Charlotte Bobcats players Dallas Mavericks players Denver Nuggets players Golden State Warriors players Houston Rockets draft picks Mexican men's basketball players NBA players from Mexico Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican expatriate basketball people in the United States New Jersey Nets players Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball players Small forwards Texas Legends coaches Dallas Mavericks scouts Mexican basketball coaches