Rafa Luz


Rafael Freire Luz, commonly known as Rafa Luz, is a Brazilian-Spanish professional basketball player for UCAM Murcia of the Liga ACB. He is a point guard.

Early years

Rafa Luz, the brother of several international players for the Brazilian national women's team, was called up to the Brazilian national under-18 team, at the age of 15.
In October 2009, after spending two seasons with Unicaja's junior youth teams, Luz got a Spanish passport.

Professional career

Luz signed for the 2010–11 ACB season with the Spanish club Unicaja, but he ended up playing with the club's farm team, Clínicas Rincón. In March 2011, he was loaned to the Spanish club CB Granada, until the end of the season. There, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in the Spanish ACB League. In August 2011, Unicaja loaned him to Spanish club Lucentum Alicante. Luz averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in the 2011–12 ACB season.
In August 2012, Luz ended his contract with Unicaja Málaga, and signed a new contract with Spanish club Blu:sens Monbús Obradoiro. He played with the Galician team until 2015, when he left Spain, and returned to Brazil, after signing a new one-year deal with Flamengo of the Brazilian NBB league.
In July 2016, Luz signed a two-year deal with the Spanish club Baskonia. In July 2017, Luz split up from the Basque entity.
On July 19, 2018, Luz signed with MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB. On July 16, 2019, Luz signed a two-year deal with UCAM Murcia.

National team career

Luz was a part of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team that won the silver medal at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, which was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He also played at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2015 Pan American Games, where he won a gold medal, and the 2016 Summer Olympics.