Rafa Luz
Luz with Obradoiro, in 2013.
No. 5 MoraBanc Andorra
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLiga ACB
Personal information
Born (1992-02-11) February 11, 1992
Araçatuba, Brazil
NationalityBrazilian / Spanish
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
Playing career2009–present
Career history
2009–2012Unicaja
2009–2010Axarquía
2011CB Granada
2011–2012Lucentum
2012–2015Obradoiro
2015–2016Flamengo
2016–2017Baskonia
2017–2018Franca
2018–2019Andorra
2019–2021Murcia
2021Nevėžis Kėdainiai
2021–2022Bilbao Basket
2022–presentAndorra
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Brazil
FIBA AmeriCup
Silver medal – second place2011 Mar del Plata
Silver medal – second place2022 Brazil
FIBA South American Championship
Bronze medal – third place2014 Venezuela
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place2015 Toronto

Rafael Freire Luz (born February 11, 1992), commonly known as Rafa Luz, is a Brazilian-Spanish professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB. He is a point guard.

Early years

Rafa Luz, the brother of several international players for the Brazilian national women's team, was called up to the Brazilian national under-18 team, at the age of 15.

In October 2009, after spending two seasons with Unicaja's junior youth teams, Luz got a Spanish passport.[1]

Professional career

Luz signed for the 2010–11 ACB season with the Spanish club Unicaja, but he ended up playing with the club's farm team, Clínicas Rincón. In March 2011, he was loaned to the Spanish club CB Granada, until the end of the season. There, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in the Spanish ACB League. In August 2011, Unicaja loaned him to Spanish club Lucentum Alicante. Luz averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in the 2011–12 ACB season.

In August 2012, Luz ended his contract with Unicaja Málaga, and signed a new contract with Spanish club Blu:sens Monbús Obradoiro.[2] He played with the Galician team until 2015, when he left Spain, and returned to Brazil, after signing a new one-year deal with Flamengo of the Brazilian NBB league.

In July 2016, Luz signed a two-year deal with the Spanish club Baskonia.[3] In July 2017, Luz split up from the Basque entity.[4]

On July 19, 2018, Luz signed with MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB.[5] On July 16, 2019, Luz signed a two-year deal with UCAM Murcia.[6]

On February 28, 2021, he has signed with Nevėžis Kėdainiai of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[7]

On July 14, 2021, he has signed with Bilbao Basket of the Liga ACB.[8]

National team career

Luz was a part of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team that won the silver medal at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, which was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He also played at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2015 Pan American Games, where he won a gold medal, and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[9]

References

  1. Cumbre por Rafael Freire (in Spanish).
  2. Rafa Freire: "Me identifico con la filosofía del Obradoiro"; Hoy.es. 22 August 2012. Retrieved: 16 July 2016 (in Spanish).
  3. "Rafa Luz is the second signing for the 2016-17 season - Saski Baskonia". Saski Baskonia. July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  4. "¡Gracias por todo, Rafa Luz! - Saski Baskonia". Saski Baskonia (in European Spanish). July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  5. "ACB.COM - Luz para el MoraBanc Andorra". www.acb.com (in European Spanish). July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  6. "Ucam Murcia signs Rafa Luz". Sportando. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  7. Lupo, Nicola (February 28, 2021). "Rafa Luz reportedly close to signing with Nevezis". Sportando. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  8. Carchia, Emiliano (July 14, 2021). "Rafa Luz joins Bilbao Basket". Sportando. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  9. Rafael LUZ (BRA).
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