MADRID, 13 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Former basketball player Fran Vázquez will be part of the Unicaja coaching staff as a technical training coach for the first team and youth centers, as reported by the Andalusian entity in a statement issued this Monday.
“One of the great centers of the last decade in European basketball, who emerged from our youth team, will carry out individual technical work with the centers, both in the first team and in the youth team,” the club announced on its website.
Vázquez, who announced his professional retirement in May 2020, will contribute his “experience” to “improve” the performance of Unicaja players in all their categories, “especially in aspects of the inside game.” The former player was already on the Unicaja Andalucía Junior staff last season in the EBA League.
A youth player from Los Guindos who debuted with the Unicaja first team in 2001, Vázquez was part of the Unicaja squad that won the Copa del Rey in 2005. Throughout his 7 seasons in Málaga he made 342 appearances, being the fifth player with most games in the club’s history, Unicaja’s all-time leader in blocks (337), third in total rebounds (1,455) and fifth in efficiency (2,970).
The one from Chantada was also Barça champion of the Euroleague in 2010, of the Endesa League in 2009, 2011 and 2012 and of the Cup in 2007, 2010 (MVP of the tournament) and 2011. His last titles were achieved in the ranks of the Lenovo Tenerife, the Basketball Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup in 2017.
Vázquez explained in statements to the club’s media that Ibon Navarro, Unicaja coach, liked his way of working. “As many times happens in professional teams, between traveling and not being able to have someone to work with the people who stay, the option came up and I am very happy,” he thanked.
“I am ready so that, if a Quarry coach needs more specific work with a player, they know that they have that figure, that of a player who knows how low post situations work. Working at Unicaja, where I have grown up and I have had my successes, it is a source of pride,” he said.
Finally, Vázquez explained that his job will consist of “returning what the club did” for him. “I grew up here as a player and now I am going to try to give first team players that option to work. Seeing them growing and improving is gratifying,” he concluded.