Rafael Nadal is one of the few athletes globally to transcend their sport and cultivate a following among fellow sportspersons. Over his two-decade-plus career, he has amassed some fans in NBA superstars as well.
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On that note, here are 5 NBA stars who support Nadal:
1. Dirk Nowitzki had shot an ad with Rafael Nadal too
Widely considered by many as one of the greatest Europeans in the NBA, Nowitzki retired in 2019 after spending over 20 years with the Dallas Mavericks. Interestingly, as per his biography Dirk Nowitzki: German Wunderkind, he played tennis as a child, even becoming a ranked junior.
Nowitzki’s interest in tennis remained. And in 2016, he confessed to being a Rafael Nadal fan. He reserved special praise for the Spaniard’s iconic forehand, saying he had never seen anything like that before. He called it a ‘frikkin lasso’ (Tennis World USA). The 2007 MVP had previously shot a Nike with Nadal.
2. Pau Gasol is more than just a fan of Rafael Nadal
It is not surprise to see two of the biggest athletes from Spain have a close relationship. From raising funds for COVID-19 relief to co-owning a restaurant in Los Angeles, the duo have undertaken many initiatives together.
Unsurprisingly, Gasol has often hailed Nadal and supported him. He has also visited the Rafa Nadal Academy a few times. Similarly, the former World No.1 is also a big fan of the retired power forward. When Gasol’s jersey was retired by the Los Angeles Lakers, Nadal also paid tribute (Tennis World USA).
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo picked Rafael Nadal over Nick Kyrgios
The Milwaukee Bucks icon chose Rafael Nadal as his favourite player in 2020 after discarding Nick Kyrgios. Antetokounmpo met compatriot Stefanos Tsitsipas, who recorded a video of the eight-time NBA All-Star revealing his changed choice and sent it to the Aussie.
Antetokounmpo said Kyrgios was his favorite player, but it is now Nadal, adding he loved the Spaniard more. While Kyrgios took this light-heartedly, his relationship with Nadal is anything but. He has taken multiple shots at the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
4. Evan Fournier backed Nadal for using controversial medical technique
While Fournier may not have explicitly stated he is a Nadal fan, the Frenchman came forward to defend the ATP star after the latter was slammed for using a controversial treatment method.
After his 2022 French Open triumph, Nadal revealed he used nerve infiltrations to nerve his foot and play through the pain. The method is much debated and completely banned in some sports like cycling. The French cyclist disapproved of Nadal using this technique, saying if a cyclist did this, it would have been doping (Tennis World USA).
Amid the backlash, Fournier supported Nadal, saying he too used infiltrations once and it does not amount to doping. He slammed the critics of this technique, saying it prevents athletes from facing further trouble.
5. Rudy Fernandez is another Nadal fan from Spain
Yet another Spanish basketball star who is a big Nadal fan. Fernandez played for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets for a few years. He currently plays for Real Madrid Baloncesto, the basketball division of Nadal’s favourite soccer club.
Fernandez joined Nadal and Gasol for the opening of their restaurant in Los Angeles. He has also visited the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca. Fernandez was also seen in the stands for a few of Nadal’s matches in the Madrid Masters. Further proving he is a huge fan of the tennis star, he posted a video of his children watching and cheering as Nadal played on the TV.
