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Juan Antonio San Epifanio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Epi
Epi in 2007
Personal information
Born(1959-06-12)12 June 1959(age 65)
Zaragoza,Aragón,Spain
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
NBA draft1981:undrafted
Playing career1977–1995
PositionShooting guard/small forward
Number15
Career history
19771995FC Barcelona
Career highlights and awards
FIBA Hall of Fame as player
Medals
Men'sbasketball
RepresentingSpain
Summer Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles Team
FIBA EuroBasket
Silver medal – second place 1983 France Team
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Rome Team
European U-18 Championship
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Spain Under–18
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Italy Under-18

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

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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

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FC Barcelona

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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

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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

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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

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