Juan Antonio San Epifanio

Epi
	Epi in 2007
Personal information
Born	12 June 1959(age 65); Zaragoza,Aragón,Spain
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	1981:undrafted
Playing career	1977–1995
Position	Shooting guard/small forward
Number	15
Career history
1977–1995	FC Barcelona
Career highlights and awards
	FIBA Club World Cupchampion (1985); FIBA Club World Cup MVP(1987); Mister Europa(1984); EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer(1984); 3×FIBA European Selection(1980, 1982, 1991); 2×FIBA Saporta Cupchampion (1985, 1986); FIBA Saporta Cup Finals Top Scorer(1981); FIBA Korać Cupchampion (1987); 101 Greats of European Basketball (2018); 7×Spanish Leaguechampion (1981, 1983LEB,1987–1990, 1994ACB); 10×Spanish Cupwinner (1978–1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1994); 3×Spanish CupFinals Top Scorer (1981, 1983, 1984); FIBA's 50 Greatest Players(1991); 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors(2008); No. 15retired by FC Barcelona; ISFWorld Schools' Championship champion (1977);
	FIBA Hall of Fame as player
Men'sbasketball
RepresentingSpain
Summer Olympic Games
FIBA EuroBasket
European U-18 Championship

Juan Antonio San Epifanio Ruiz(born 12 June 1959), most commonly known as"Epi",^[1]^[2]is a Spanish retired professionalbasketballplayer. He spent all of hisclubcareer playing withFC Barcelona.He was named theMister Europa European Player of the Yearin 1984, by the Italian basketball magazineSuperbasket,and the Best European Player of the 1980s decade, by the French sports newspaperL'Équipe.He was named one ofFIBA's 50 Greatest Playersin 1991.

At theOpening Ceremonyof the1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games,he was honoured with being the last athlete to carry theOlympic torch,before handing it to the archer,Antonio Rebollo,who lit the fire in the cauldron, with an arrow. He was named one of the50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributorsin 2008. He became aFIBA Hall of Fame playerin 2016. He is considered to be one of the greatestswingmento have ever played in Europe.

Early life and career

San Epifanio, known by almost everyone as simply, "Epi", grew up inZaragoza,and began to play the sport of basketball in his native city. In 1973, Epi made hisclubdebut with CN Helios, in the Spanish third division. However, his local club eventually rejected him. In 1974,FC Barcelonasigned his older brother, Herminio, to a contract. Herminio then insisted that Epi would also join him at the club, and so the two moved toBarcelona.FC Barcelona's senior men's team head coach,Ranko Žeravica,gave Epi the opportunity to play with the club's youth teams.

Professional career

FC Barcelona

In 1977, Epi joined the senior men's team ofFC Barcelona.He quickly became the team's lead player. He would eventually go on to lead FC Barcelona to break the long-lived dominance ofReal Madridin Spain. During his career with the club, his teammates includedNacho Solozábal,Chicho Sibilio,Audie Norris,Juan de la Cruz,Andrés Jiménez,and other well-known players.

In a total of eighteen seasons with FC Barcelona (1977–78 to 1994–95), he won the top-level Spanish League title seven times, as he won the LEB Primera División(1981, 1983), and theLiga ACB(1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1995). He also won theSpanish King's Cupten times (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1994), theFIBA Saporta Cuptwice (1985and1986), theFIBA Korać Cuponce (1987), and theFIBA Club World Cuponce (1985). Although he reached theFIBA European Champions Cup(EuroLeague)Finals3 times (1984,1990,1991), he never lifted the most important trophy in European-wideclubbasketball.

He wasnamed the MVPof theFIBA Club World Cup's 1987 edition.His 54 points scored in a game againstJoventut Badalona,in1984,counts among his most memorable performances. It is the second best single-game scoring total ever in the history of thetop-tier level Spanish league(since 1957), and thehighest ever single-game scoring markin the history of the SpanishLiga ACB(since 1983).

National team career

In 1979, Epi made his first appearance with the seniorSpanish national team.With Spain's senior national team, he appeared in a total of 239games,over a 15-year long period (1979–1994). He is in second place all-time in senior national team appearances for Spain (behindJ. C. Navarro). He was also the first Spanish national team player that took part in fourSummer Olympic Games,from the (1980 Moscow Summer Olympics,to the1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics).

He was a silver Olympic medalist at the1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics,and a silver medalist at theEuroBasket 1983.He also won a bronze medal at theEuroBasket 1991.

Post-playing career

San Epifanio concluded his professional basketball playing career on 25 May 1995, asF.C. Barcelonawon anotherSpanish Leaguetitle. Since 2007, he has been a basketballcolor commentatorwithCanal+ Spain.

References

External links

[1] 2016 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Juan Antonio San Epifanio.

[2] Super Epi, a Spaniard with a Yugoslavian wrist.

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