Juancho Hernangomez

Juancho Hernangomez's Biography

Born on September 28, 1995, Juan Alberto “Juancho” Hernangómez Geuer is a Spanish basketball player who has professionally played for both the Greek Basketball League (GBL), representing Panathinaikos, and the EuroLeague. Known for his dynamic style of play, Hernangómez also played for the Spanish national team in international competition. He was chosen by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft in 2016 and spent seven seasons in the NBA. During his time in the NBA, Hernangómez played for several clubs including the Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, and Toronto Raptors.

Hernangómez’s basketball career started in the youth teams of CB Las Rozas in 2007. He began playing for the youth squad of Real Madrid and moved to the Club Baloncesto Majadahonda after a few years. In 2012, Hernangómez signed his first professional contract with CB Estudiantes. He played for their secondary team until his promotion to the primary team in 2014. The following season, he garnered a commendable average of 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 34 games which led to him being recognized as the Best Young Player by ACB.

In 2016, Hernangómez was selected as the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. After his rookie scale contract signing, he was transferred to the Sioux Falls Skyforce pursuant to the NBA’s flexible assignment rule. Hernangomez’s impressive performance versus the Golden State Warriors, where he scored his season-high of 27 points and 10 rebounds, made him valuable to the Nuggets.

His career took a downturn in the 2017-2018 season when he was diagnosed with mononucleosis and played in only 25 games. Despite this setback, Hernangómez was signed by the Timberwolves in 2020. He signed a three-year deal with them later but was riddled with issues such as being unable to participate in the 2021 Olympics due to injury.

He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in August 2021, followed by a transfer to the Boston Celtics in September. His stay with the Celtics too was short-lived as he was traded once again, this time to the San Antonio Spurs, in January 2022, and then to the Utah Jazz a month later. After being waived by the Jazz, Hernangómez was signed by the Raptors on a one-year contract. He was waived in February 2023 and signed a deal with EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos B.C in July 2023.

Hernangómez also played for the national Spanish team several times, including helping his team win EuroBasket 2022 in a final against France, where he scored a game-high of 27 points. He has been compared to renowned NBA players like Víctor Claver and Jonas Jerebko due to his speed, athleticism, and a wingspan of about 7 feet.

Outside of his basketball career, Hernangómez’s acting debut came in 2022 when he co-starred alongside Adam Sandler in the Netflix film, “Hustle.”

Hernangómez comes from a family heavily invested in basketball. His mother is a former international basketball player who won a European championship with Spain in 1993, and both his father and older brother have played for Real Madrid. His younger sister is currently playing for Estudiantes’ youth team.