Sergio Rodriguez constructed a fame as one of many Euroleague’s all-time greats, with a profession spanning powerhouse golf equipment like Actual Madrid, CSKA Moscow, and Olimpia Milano, in addition to stints within the NBA with the Portland Path Blazers, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Rodriguez, who signed his first adidas contract in 2003, spoke to HoopsHype completely about his lifelong relationship with the model, his ardour for the sport, and the distinctive tradition variations between leagues world wide. He additionally opened up about his plans post-retirement, what it means to be thought-about a Euroleague legend, and his satisfaction in seeing worldwide gamers thrive in right now’s NBA.
Sergio Rodríguez poses in entrance of the Mandela Wall on the Laureus World Sports activities Awards Madrid 2025 at Galería de Cristal on April 21, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photograph by Pablo Cuadra/Getty Pictures for Laureus)
SR: Proper now I’m in a state of affairs the place I need to take a while off to mirror on what I need to do. Basketball is my ardour and I’ll be concerned with basketball. However in the meanwhile I need to concentrate on the day-by-day, spending extra time with my household. Over the past 20 years, I didn’t have actually time to do what I wished. I used to be enjoying basketball, and I used to be having fun with it, however on the similar time, whenever you retire, you want a while to remain just a little away to see every thing from a distinct facet.
CSKA Moscow’s Spanish guard Sergio Rodriguez holds the trophy after profitable the EuroLeague remaining basketball in opposition to Anadolu Efes on the Fernando Buesa Enviornment in Vitoria on Might 19, 2019. (Photograph: LLUIS GENE/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
SR: Yeah, I performed all around the world. I performed in Spain, clearly in the US, Russia, Italy… So I’ve a fairly good perspective of what basketball world wide means and having the chance to play within the NBA was one in every of my goals. Then with the ability to win the Euroleague with Actual Madrid, with CSKA Moscow and having the chance additionally to play right here in Italy with Milano… Such an incredible, wonderful expertise. So I really feel very fortunate concerning the profession that I had. I put quite a lot of work and I actually loved my time enjoying. It’s been one thing that rising up I might think about, however the actuality was a lot better.
Sergio Rodriguez of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder at Madison Sq. Backyard on February 20, 2010 in New York. (Photograph by Nick Laham/Getty Pictures)
SR: You recognize, I all the time wished to play within the NBA, and I all the time wished to be with Actual Madrid. So having the chance to have these conditions, with the ability to go at an early age to the States to maintain growing, then coming again to Spain to play with Actual Madrid and with the ability to win a Euroleague, it was an unimaginable achievement. After which having the chance to get again to the NBA, play one season in Philadelphia and afterwards my profession by means of CSKA and Olimpia Milano and ending in Actual Madrid was an amazing alternative to say goodbye, to benefit from the final couple of seasons, profitable the EuroLeague and profitable titles in Spain… So I really feel very grateful concerning the alternatives that I had in my profession.
Mar 19, 2017; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez dribbles the ball as Boston Celtics guard Marcus Good defends throughout the fourth quarter of the sport on the Wells Fargo Middle. The 76ers received 105-99. Credit score: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports activities
SR: There are huge variations. My first time within the NBA was one kind of league. Afterward, after I got here again to play with Philadelphia, it was a completely completely different league. There was a distinction within the recreation, within the construction, within the gamers, coaches, and the way they handled the sport. Extra worldwide gamers additionally on the second time. I’m tremendous grateful for the way I used to be in a position to be in several conditions and the way I used to be making changes to be productive in these conditions.
Actual Madrid guard Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez pose after profitable the Euroleague Ultimate 4 basketball remaining in opposition to Olympiacos Pireus on the Palacio de los Deportes in Madrid on Might 17, 2015. (Credit score: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
SR: That was an incredible honor. I actually take pleasure in enjoying Euroleague and being in Abu Dhabi subsequent to the fellows that I adopted comply with after I was a child and a number of the teammates that I share groups, a number of the opponents that we now have many, many video games in opposition to. So, you recognize, being thought-about top-of-the-line gamers of the competitors is an enormous achievement and I don’t give that with no consideration.
Sergio Rodriguez dives after a unfastened ball in entrance of Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder at Madison Sq. Backyard on February 20, 2010, in New York. (Photograph: Nick Laham/Getty Pictures)
SR: I’ve been very fortunate in my profession to have nice teammates round me. It could be very laborious to say one or one other. And the identical with opponents. I’ve performed in opposition to a number of the better of the historical past within the NBA: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James… Many, most of the guys that dominated the sport for a few years. Additionally right here in Europe, we now have Kyle Hines, who I play in opposition to and with… Vassilis Spanoulis, Juan Carlos Navarro, teammates like Felipe Reyes, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Lull. So I’ve been very fortunate.
Sergio Rodriguez of Spain celebrates making a three-pointer throughout the Males’s Basketball gold medal recreation between the US and Spain on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympics Video games at North Greenwich Enviornment on August 12, 2012. (Photograph by Harry How/Getty Pictures)
SR: Once more, it’s powerful to decide on one, However most likely, you recognize, being within the NBA, profitable the three Euroleagues that I had received, enjoying for Actual Madrid, enjoying for the Nationwide Staff, Olympic Video games of 2012, that we acquired the silver medal. So there are moments, profitable the European Championship and the gold medal on the World Cup in 2006. So there are numerous moments. And after I see them and mirror on these moments, I really feel very grateful.
SR: The extent of the remainder of the world is getting nearer to the one within the U.S. I’m following it as a fan, how wonderful it’s to have these varieties of gamers coming from Europe and being nice gamers within the NBA. I’m wanting ahead to extra gamers enjoying there from Europe and I’m having fun with it.
Sergio Rodriguez, Antonio Adan, Karim Benzema and Ricardo Carvalho attend the opening of the brand new Adidas retailer on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on February 21, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photograph by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Pictures)
Sergio Rodriguez: I’ve been a part of it my entire life. I began carrying adidas after I was a child. I signed my first contract with the model in 2003. So, all my life, all my professional profession, I performed with the Adidas sneakers, so I really feel a part of the household.
Guerschon Yabusele and Sergio Rodriguez communicate to campers this morning and run a Q&A at adidas Eurocamp: pic.twitter.com/jEfn7qnd97
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) June 1, 2025
SR: It’s very particular. I got here to Treviso in 2003 being a prospect. After that 12 months, I signed with Estudiantes. I began enjoying with the primary staff, after which I performed for 20 years. I simply retired final 12 months. Having the chance to come back right here and see all the children being in the identical state of affairs that I used to be in 22 years in the past is fairly particular. So, blissful to see them having fun with their time right here, and I’m feeling the state of affairs from a distinct perspective.
