Pedro Ferrandiz

The basketball reign of Pedro Ferrandiz in his native country of Spain lasted only 15 years, but the mark he left on international basketball continues to shape the game to this day. He began his rise to the top of the European basketball world as coach of Hesperia and later Real Madrid during the 1960s. The fast-breaking, firehouse style of Ferrandiz revolutionized basketball in Europe and ultimately secured 12 Spanish League titles and 11 King’s Cups for Real Madrid between the years 1960 and 1975. Ferrandiz also captured four European Cup titles including two in a row in 1967 and 1968 and regularly dominated the Spanish League where he recorded three undefeated seasons. In 1976 he co-founded – along with fellow Hall of Famer Cesare Rubini – the World Association of Basketball Coaches. He remains the only basketball coach in history to receive the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee. A coach’s coach, Ferrandiz raised the status of his profession in international circles and provided endless opportunities for colleagues who aspire to patrol the sidelines and impact the lives of players.