Juan Antonio San Epifanio
Encyclopedia
Juan Antonio San Epifanio Ruiz (Epi) (born 12 June 1959 in Zaragoza
, Aragón
, Spain) is a retired Spanish basketball
player, considered one of the greatest small forward
s ever to play in Europe. Named the European Player of the Year
Mister Europa in 1984, he spent all his career in FC Barcelona
.
With F.C. Barcelona, he was a 3 times finalist in the European Champions Cup
, twice Saporta Cup
winner, once Korać Cup
holder, 7 times national league champion and 10 cup winner. His 54 points scored in a game against Joventut Badalona
in the early 80's counts among his most memorable performances and is the 2nd best scoring record ever in the Spanish League. Ranko Žeravica
was the one who gave him the opportunity to play for Barcelona's first team in 1979. In 1973 he made his debut with CN Helios in the Spanish third division. He was named by L’Equipe as the Best European Player of the 80's.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
he was honoured to be the last to carry the olympic torch before handing it to the archer Antonio Rebollo
who lit the fire in the cauldron with an arrow.
and began to play in his native city, but the local club C.N. Helios Zaragoza rejected him. In 1974 FC Barcelona
signed his older brother Herminio to a contract. Herminio insisted that Juan would join him at the club, and so the two moved to Barcelona
.
In 1977 he joined the first team and quickly became the leading man in barcelona's successful team of the 80's, which finally broke the long lived dominance of Real Madrid
after a prolonged period, together with players such as Ignacio Solozábal
, Juan de la Cruz, Audie Norris
and others.
In a total of 18 seasons at the club he won the Spanish league title
7 times (1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1994), the King's Cup
10 times (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1994), the Saporta Cup
twice (1985–1986), the Korać Cup
once (1987) and the world championship for clubs once (1985). Although he reached the European Champions Cup
Final 3 time (1984, 1990, 1991), he never lifted the most important trophy in European basketball.
. He appeared in a total of 239 games, giving him the all-time lead in national appearances for Spain.
, in which FC Barcelona won another Spanish title, on 25 May 1995.
he is a basketball commentator with Canal+ Spain
.
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, Spain) is a retired Spanish basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, considered one of the greatest small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
s ever to play in Europe. Named the European Player of the Year
European Basketball Player of the Year Awards
The European Basketball Player of the Year Awards are the three awards given out on a yearly basis to the best male European basketball player of the year. More specifically, those are the Mr. Europa award, which began in 1976, the Euroscar, established in 1979, and the FIBA Europe Player of the...
Mister Europa in 1984, he spent all his career in FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona Bàsquet
FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
.
Brief introduction
The Aragonese holds the record among Spanish players with most national team caps (239 during a period longer than fifteen years). He is also the only Spanish player who took part in 4 Olympic Games (Moscow-80 to Barcelona-92). Silver Olympic medallist for Spain in LA-84, silver medal in European Champs in Nantes-83. In 1991, he got European bronze National Team.With F.C. Barcelona, he was a 3 times finalist in the European Champions Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
, twice Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
winner, once Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
holder, 7 times national league champion and 10 cup winner. His 54 points scored in a game against Joventut Badalona
Joventut Badalona
Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, playing in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto . Known to their fans as La Penya , it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League...
in the early 80's counts among his most memorable performances and is the 2nd best scoring record ever in the Spanish League. Ranko Žeravica
Ranko Žeravica
Ranko Žeravica is a retired Serbian basketball coach.- Club level :On the club level, he has coached:...
was the one who gave him the opportunity to play for Barcelona's first team in 1979. In 1973 he made his debut with CN Helios in the Spanish third division. He was named by L’Equipe as the Best European Player of the 80's.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
he was honoured to be the last to carry the olympic torch before handing it to the archer Antonio Rebollo
Antonio Rebollo
Antonio Rebollo is the paralympic archer who lit the Olympic Cauldron by shooting an arrow, igniting it, during the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. When he was eight months old he contracted Polio with both legs affected, the right one severely. He was quoted as saying...
who lit the fire in the cauldron with an arrow.
Early life
San Epifanio, known by everyone as Epi, grew up in ZaragozaZaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
and began to play in his native city, but the local club C.N. Helios Zaragoza rejected him. In 1974 FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona Bàsquet
FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
signed his older brother Herminio to a contract. Herminio insisted that Juan would join him at the club, and so the two moved to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
FC Barcelona for life
At Barcelona, Juan quickly improved his skills and became a member of the Spanish junior national team.In 1977 he joined the first team and quickly became the leading man in barcelona's successful team of the 80's, which finally broke the long lived dominance of Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
after a prolonged period, together with players such as Ignacio Solozábal
Ignacio Solozábal
Ignacio "Nacho" Solozábal is a retired Spanish basketball player. Solozábal, a 1.85 m point guard, spent his entire career with FC Barcelona from 1979 to 1992...
, Juan de la Cruz, Audie Norris
Audie Norris
Audie James Norris is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'9" 230 lb center and played collegiately at Jackson State University from 1978 to 1982. He played for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers from 1982 to 1985...
and others.
In a total of 18 seasons at the club he won the Spanish league title
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
7 times (1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1994), the King's Cup
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
The Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
10 times (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1994), the Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
twice (1985–1986), the Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
once (1987) and the world championship for clubs once (1985). Although he reached the European Champions Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Final 3 time (1984, 1990, 1991), he never lifted the most important trophy in European basketball.
Spanish national team
In the same year he debuted with FC Barcelona, he also made his first appearance for the national teamSpain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
. He appeared in a total of 239 games, giving him the all-time lead in national appearances for Spain.
Retirement
San Epifanio's last game was the last game of the season in 19951995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, in which FC Barcelona won another Spanish title, on 25 May 1995.
he is a basketball commentator with Canal+ Spain
Canal+ Spain
Canal+ 1, formerly known simply as Canal+ is a Spanish commercial television channel, launched in September 1990 on terrestrial television frequencies. The channel is operated by Sogecable. The main staples of Canal+ 1 are Spanish football, bullfighting and recent movies.In 1997 new channels using...
.