Angola National Team Star, Bruno Fernando Joins Real Madrid After Turbulent Raptors Stint

Bruno Fernando Joins Real Madrid After Turbulent Raptors Stint

Angola national team star Bruno Fernando has agreed to a one-year deal with European basketball giants Real Madrid, marking a new chapter in his career after a challenging five-month spell with the struggling Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors have been dismal this season, posting a disheartening 11-36 record. Fernando, 26, found limited opportunities in Toronto, appearing in just 17 of the team’s 43 games, including two starts. During those games, the forward/center averaged 8.6 minutes, 3.4 points, and 3.0 rebounds per game, shooting 53.1% from the field.

Fernando’s move to Real Madrid provides a fresh start and a chance to shine on one of the biggest stages in European basketball. Following routine physicals, the former Maryland Terrapin will be officially added to Madrid’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague roster. He will also be eligible to compete in the remaining games of Spain’s Liga Endesa 2024-25 season and the highly anticipated 2025 Copa del Rey.

The timing of Fernando’s arrival could not be more critical, as Real Madrid is enduring one of its worst seasons in recent memory. Despite a promising start to its EuroLeague campaign, Los Blancos currently sit in eighth place. Their recent form has been particularly troubling, with six losses in their last ten away games. On January 16, they suffered a disappointing 96-86 home defeat to arch-EuroLeague rivals Olympiacos Piraeus, further compounding their struggles.

In Spain’s Liga Endesa (ACB), Madrid are second in the table, trailing not historic arch-rivals Barcelona but a resurgent Unicaja. This underperformance in both competitions has left fans clamouring for solutions, and the addition of Fernando could provide a much-needed boost.

This transition sees Fernando join a star-studded Real Madrid squad featuring fellow African basketball icons Walter Tavares of Cape Verde, Serge Ibaka from the Republic of the Congo, Senegalese talent Eli Ndiaye, and Spanish-born Nigerian forward Usman Garuba. Notably, Fernando and Tavares previously shared the court during the 2022 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, representing their respective nations.

Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and subsequently traded to the Atlanta Hawks, Fernando has spent the past five years in the NBA, logging 227 games with stints at the Hawks, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and Raptors.

Real Madrid’s acquisition of Fernando bolsters their frontcourt depth as they look to reverse their fortunes domestically and in Europe. This represents a golden opportunity for Fernando to revitalise his career while competing at an elite level. The Angolan standout could be pivotal in Madrid’s quest for redemption and silverware.

[Photography Courtesy of FIBA and NBA]