Eduardo Alonso Nájera Pérez[1] (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈnaxeɾa][2]) (born July 11, 1976 in Chihuahua, Mexico) is a Mexican professional basketball player in the NBA, currently playing for the Charlotte Bobcats.
Eduardo Najera is only the second NBA player who is Mexican-born (Horacio Llamas was the first). He is the son of Servando Najera and Rosa Irene Perez.[3]
After graduating from high school in Mexico in 1994, Najera attended Cornerstone Christian Academy in San Antonio, Texas for two years to learn English and attract college coaches.[4]
Currently, he and Jennifer, his wife, have a daughter and a son.
Najera played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, from 1997–2000, becoming a major star there. He helped the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances during his college career, as well as finishing in the school's all-time top ten in nine statistical categories. Before being drafted into the NBA in 2000, Najera received rave reviews from scouts, who boasted on Najera's quick first step and extraordinary rebounding ability. He is only the second Mexican-born player to join the NBA.[2] He was the first Mexican player to be drafted into the NBA (Horacio Llamas being undrafted).[1]
Najera played for the Mexican team in the 1997 World University Games and helped them achieve a fourth place finish in the 1999 World University Games.[1]
He saw significant action as a member of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000–01 and 2001–02, but recurrent knee injuries limited his action in his last two years in Dallas.
He played at the first-ever Basketball Without Borders Americas tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the 2004 NBA Summer of Goodwill.
Najera with the Denver Nuggets
On February 24, 2005, he was then sent to the Denver Nuggets along with Luis Flores and a future first round pick in exchange for Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Rodney White, where he would have some of his most productive seasons as an NBA player.[8]
Also in 2006, an exhibition match was played in Monterrey, Mexico, between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets.
On April 27, 2006, Najera started his first playoff game for the Nuggets in Game 3 of their first round series facing the Los Angeles Clippers. He replaced Kenyon Martin who was suspended indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team".
He was partly involved in the December 2006 Knicks–Nuggets brawl. While not involved in the actual fighting, he did try to separate the players. He was ejected from the game.
On July 11, 2008 he signed a contract with the New Jersey Nets for 4 years $12 million.[9][10] He stated that he would make it a point to turn the Nets' young forwards Yi Jianlian and Ryan Anderson and center Brook Lopez into stronger, tougher players. Najera turned down more money and a chance to return to his college state, Oklahoma City Thunder. He also turned down an offer from the New Orleans Hornets in order to take a chance to lead a young and talented New Jersey team.
On January 11, 2010, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams.[11]
On July 13, 2010, Nájera was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with Erick Dampier and Matt Carroll in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinça.
n 2000, Eduardo Najera was named Third Team All-American by both the Associated Press and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
In 2000, Eduardo Najera graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in sociology.
In 2000, Najera received the Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame, an award given to a player who has demonstrated personal character both on and off the court.[2]
In 2001, Najera served as the United Nations Drug Control Programme Goodwill Ambassador for Sports Against Drugs. In 2004, he established the Eduardo Najera Foundation for Latino Achievement, which provides college scholarships for outstanding Latino students facing barriers to their educations, and in 2006, he received the Chopper Travaglini Award for demonstrating outstanding charity work in the Denver community.
No. 21 Charlotte Bobcats
Small forward
Personal information
Date of birth July 11, 1976 (age 35)
Place of birth Ciudad Meoqui, Chihuahua, Mexico
Nationality Mexican
High school Cornerstone Christian Academy
(San Antonio)
Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight 235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College Oklahoma (1996–2000)
NBA Draft 2000 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career 2000–present
League NBA
Career history
2000–2004 Dallas Mavericks
2004–2005 Golden State Warriors
2005–2008 Denver Nuggets
2008–2010 New Jersey Nets
2010 Dallas Mavericks
2010–present Charlotte Bobcats
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