Sergio Rodríguez

infobox NBA Player
name = Sergio Rodríguez


position = Point guard
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3
weight_lbs = 168
nationality = flagicon|Spain Spanish
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|6|12
birth_place = Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
number = 11
draft = 27th overall
draft_team = Phoenix Suns
draft_year = 2006
team = Portland Trail Blazers
career_start = 2006
career_end =
former_teams = CB Estudiantes (2003-2006)
awards = U18 Men's European Championships in 2004 with Spain, U18 Men's European Championships 2004 MVP, Runner-up of the ACB in 2004-2005 season with CB Estudiantes, gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship with the Spanish National Team

Sergio Rodríguez (born June 12, 1986 in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) is a Spanish professional basketball player. He is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, after being selected with the 27th pick in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA Draft (later that day traded to the Trail Blazers in exchange for cash considerations). On July 20, it was announced that the Trail Blazers had negotiated a buyout with Spanish club CB Estudiantes, and signed him to a rookie-scale contract.

Prior to joining the NBA, Rodríguez played for CB Estudiantes of the Spanish League (ACB), where he was named Rookie of the Year for the 2004-05 season. Thought to be one of the best European prospects of his age, he was named the MVP of the 2004 Under-18-years-old (Junior) European championship of national teams, held in Zaragoza (Spain), where he led the host Spanish team to the gold medal. He averaged in the 8 games of that tournament 19 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 2.1 steals. Later in 2004, Rodriguez was chosen for the 2004 World Junior Select team to play against the best high school players at the Hoop Summit located in the United States.

In August 2006, Rodríguez won the gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship with the Spanish National Team.

Playing style

Rodríguez is known for his streetball-influenced playing style. His streetball nickname is "Spanish Chocolate", an homage to NBA player Jason "White Chocolate" Williams, whose playing style Rodríguez idolized. [ [http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-13-170/2006-NBA-Draft-Profile--Sergio-Rodriguez.html ESPN - 2006 NBA Draft Profile: Sergio Rodriguez - TrueHoop ] ]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

-
align="left" | 2006–07
align="left" | Portland
67 || 1 || 12.9 || .423 || .282 || .808 || 1.4 || 3.3 || .5 || .0 || 3.7
-
align="left" | 2007–08
align="left" | Portland
72 || 0 || 8.7 || .352 || .293 || .658 || .8 || 1.7 || .3 || .0 || 2.5
-
align="left" | Career
align="left" |
139 || 1 || 10.7 || .391 || .287 || .719 || 1.1 || 2.5 || .4 || .0 || 3.1
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