Marcelo Huertas
Brazilian basketball player (born 1983)
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Marcelo "Marcelinho" Tieppo Huertas (born 25 May 1983) is a Brazilian professional basketball player and the team captain for CB Canarias of the Spanish Liga ACB. He has represented the Brazilian national basketball team in international competitions and also holds Italian citizenship.
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At 32 years old, Huertas was the second oldest rookie in NBA history after Pablo Prigioni and before Andre Ingram. After signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015, he played one and a half seasons before returning to Spain in 2017. In 2025, Huertas won the Liga ACB MVP award at 42 years of age.[1]
Professional career
Early years in Brazil and Texas
Huertas began his career playing with the youth basketball teams of the multi-sports club E.C. Pinheiros in Brazil. After playing high school basketball at Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas, he made his senior men's team debut in the 2001–02 season, with the senior men's team of FMU São Paulo. He then moved to the senior men's basketball team of E.C. Pinheiros, for the 2002–03 season, where he played in the top Brazilian League. He then returned to FMU São Paulo for the 2003–04 season.
Europe
Huertas joined the Liga ACB club DKV Joventut in 2004, playing for the Badalona-based team for three seasons until 2007. On October 2, 2004, Huertas made his debut with the Catalans in a game against Lleida Bàsquet, scoring 9 points and recording 3 assists.[2] With Joventut, Huertas reached the Liga ACB Playoffs for three consecutive seasons, won the 2005-06 FIBA EuroCup and played in the 2006–07 Euroleague.[3] Still in contract with Joventut, Huertas was loaned to Bilbao Basket of the Liga ACB for the 2007-08 season.[4] With Bilbao, Huertas received his first All-Liga ACB Team mention.[5]
After rumors of a return to Joventut or a contract extension with Bilbao, Huertas finally signed with Fortitudo Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A, playing for the Italians during the 2008–09 season.[6]
In August 2009, Huertas signed a three-year contract with the Liga ACB club Saski Baskonia.[7] He played for two seasons with the Basque team, winning the 2009-10 Liga ACB and reaching the EuroLeague quarterfinals in both seasons.[8]
FC Barcelona (2011-2015)
On 9 August 2011, he signed a four-year contract with Liga ACB and EuroLeague club FC Barcelona.[9] Barcelona paid Baskonia 500,000 euros for the transfer.[10] With Barcelona, Huertas won the Liga ACB twice (2012 and 2014) and won the 2013 Spanish Cup. He also helped the Catalans reach the EuroLeague Final Four for three consecutive years.
Huertas became a key player in the team's rotation in his first season, leading the team in assists throughout the 2011-12 season and helping win the Spanish Supercup. In the first game of the 2012 ACB Finals, Huertas scored a three-point buzzer beater from half-court to seal the first win in a series in which the Catalans would take the title against rivals Real Madrid.[11]
Huertas would again be instrumental in the 2013-14 Liga ACB win, playing 40 minutes and scoring the game-winning shot in a key semifinal game against Valencia Basket.[11]
Los Angeles Lakers (2015–2017)
On 9 September 2015, Huertas signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.[12] He made his debut for the Lakers in the team's season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on 28 October, recording 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in a 112–111 loss.[13] On 6 March 2016, he recorded season-highs of 10 points and 9 assists in a 112–95 win over the Golden State Warriors.[14] Four days later, he had a season-best game with 13 points and 5 assists in a 120–108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.[15]
On 5 August 2016, Huertas re-signed with the Lakers.[16] On 23 February 2017, Huertas was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Tyler Ennis.[17] Upon being acquired by the Rockets, Huertas was waived by the team.[18]
Return to Spain
Baskonia (2017–2019)
On 25 July 2017, Huertas signed a two-year deal with Saski Baskonia, returning to the team he left in 2011.[19] In the 2017-18 season Huertas reached the Liga ACB Finals, which Baskonia would ultimately lose to Real Madrid.[20] During both seasons with Baskonia, Huertas reached the EuroLeague playoffs.
Huertas' second stint at Baskonia ended in June 2019 having played 142 games over two seasons and averaging 7.8 points per game and 5 assists during the second season. During his two spells with the Vitoria-Gasteiz-based team, he played 260 official games.[21]
Canarias (2019–present)
On 23 July 2019, Huertas signed a two-year deal with CB Canarias (known as Iberostar Tenerife for sponsorship reasons).[22] He averaged 12.9 points and 8.3 assists per game in his debut season for Canarias. Huertas re-signed with the team on 4 June 2020.[23]
Huertas became a star player for the team, and he was named to the All-Basketball Champions League First Team in 2020, before winning the 2021-22 Basketball Champions League and being named Final Four MVP.[24][25] Continuing to play a key role in Tenerife's performances in the Basketball Champions League every season, Huertas won two back to back Basketball Champions League MVP awards (in 2024 and 2025).[26][27] He also won the 2020 and 2023 FIBA Intercontinental Cup titles, gathering MVP honours in the first win.[28][29]
In his 18th season in the Liga ACB, the 2024-25 season, Huertas won the ACB Most Valuable Player award, in addition to being named to the All-Liga ACB First Team for the fifth time. Huertas had turned 42 just prior to earning the award.[1]
National team career
Huertas has been a member of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team. With Brazil's senior national team, he won the gold medal at the 2005 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2006 South American Championship, the 2007 Pan American Games, and the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship. He also won the silver medal at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship.
He also played at the following tournaments: the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the 2010 FIBA World Championship, the 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 2019 FIBA World Championship, the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance index rating |
| Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | L.A. Lakers | 53 | 0 | 16.4 | .422 | .262 | .931 | 1.7 | 3.4 | .5 | .1 | 4.5 |
| 2016–17 | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 1 | 10.3 | .368 | .211 | .529 | 1.0 | 2.3 | .4 | .1 | 2.7 |
| Career | 76 | 1 | 14.6 | .409 | .250 | .783 | 1.5 | 3.1 | .5 | .1 | 3.9 | |
EuroLeague
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Badalona | 20 | 3 | 14.6 | .377 | .167 | .875 | 1.5 | 1.4 | .9 | — | 5.3 | 4.3 |
| 2009–10 | Baskonia | 16 | 1 | 20.9 | .526 | .308 | .852 | 1.8 | 3.9 | .6 | — | 8.3 | 9.4 |
| 2010–11 | 20 | 14 | 28.6 | .460 | .442 | .865 | 3.0 | 5.5 | .8 | .1 | 10.3 | 13.9 | |
| 2011–12 | Barcelona | 21 | 21* | 23.7 | .504 | .439 | .867 | 2.0 | 4.4 | 1.0 | — | 8.5 | 10.7 |
| 2012–13 | 31* | 17 | 20.5 | .416 | .347 | .972* | 2.2 | 3.4 | .6 | .0 | 8.0 | 8.7 | |
| 2013–14 | 29 | 29 | 21.5 | .492 | .338 | .811 | 2.0 | 3.8 | .4 | .0 | 8.2 | 9.5 | |
| 2014–15 | 28 | 16 | 22.1 | .403 | .365 | .833 | 2.3 | 4.4 | .5 | .0 | 7.6 | 8.5 | |
| 2017–18 | Baskonia | 29 | 11 | 16.6 | .414 | .432 | .921 | 1.0 | 3.6 | .1 | — | 5.9 | 6.2 |
| 2018–19 | 34 | 15 | 19.5 | .495 | .421 | .884 | 1.5 | 4.7 | .7 | — | 7.8 | 8.6 | |
| Career | 228 | 127 | 20.5 | .452 | .371 | .877 | 1.9 | 3.9 | .6 | .0 | 7.7 | 8.8 | |
EuroCup
Domestic leagues
Regular season
| † | Denotes season in which Huertas won the Liga ACB championship |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 |  Joventut Badalona | ACB | 34 | 17.6 | .452 | .298 | .704 | 1.4 | 2.3 | .8 | .0 | 7.1 |
| 2005–06 | Joventut Badalona | ACB | 31 | 15.0 | .460 | .444 | .919 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .0 | 7.0 |
| 2006–07 | Joventut Badalona | ACB | 34 | 12.4 | .372 | .273 | .897 | .8 | 1.4 | .5 | .0 | 5.1 |
| 2007–08 | Bilbao Basket | ACB | 34 | 26.6 | .451 | .235 | .865 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 1.6 | .0 | 14.6 |
| 2008–09 |  Fortitudo Bologna | LBA | 29 | 27.0 | .478 | .246 | .838 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .0 | 10.1 |
| 2009–10† | Baskonia | ACB | 27 | 24.3 | .507 | .475 | .828 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 1.0 | .0 | 8.0 |
| 2010–11 | Baskonia | ACB | 34 | 28.4 | .500 | .405 | .877 | 2.9 | 5.9* | .8 | .0 | 9.7 |
| 2011–12† | Barcelona | ACB | 34 | 22.5 | .454 | .410 | .854 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .0 | 8.0 |
| 2012–13 | Barcelona | ACB | 34 | 21.2 | .433 | .410 | .871 | 2.3 | 3.7 | .9 | .0 | 9.1 |
| 2013–14† | Barcelona | ACB | 33 | 21.2 | .486 | .360 | .971 | 2.0 | 4.3 | .6 | .0 | 8.5 |
| 2014–15 | Barcelona | ACB | 34 | 21.3 | .479 | .333 | .871 | 2.2 | 4.6 | .7 | .0 | 7.7 |
| 2017–18 | Baskonia | ACB | 32 | 19.8 | .457 | .342 | .875 | 2.1 | 4.5 | .4 | .0 | 7.3 |
| 2018–19 | Baskonia | ACB | 32 | 19.6 | .497 | .382 | .970 | 2.0 | 5.0 | .7 | .0 | 7.8 |
| 2019–20 | Tenerife | ACB | 22 | 28.1 | .465 | .313 | .981* | 2.5 | 8.1* | 1.0 | .0 | 13.1 |
| 2020–21 | Tenerife | ACB | 35 | 25.1 | .513 | .421 | .925 | 2.0 | 6.1 | .7 | .0 | 14.2 |
| 2021–22 | Tenerife | ACB | 34 | 23.6 | .464 | .286 | .902 | 2.1 | 6.3 | .7 | .0 | 12.6 |
| 2022–23 | Tenerife | ACB | 33 | 22.3 | .508 | .316 | .824 | 1.19 | 5.8 | .7 | .0 | 11.8 |
| 2023–24 | Tenerife | ACB | 34 | 25.4 | .492 | .376 | .910* | 2.4 | 6.4* | .7 | .0 | 14.2 |
| 2024–25 | Tenerife | ACB | 33 | 23.9 | .503 | .349 | .915 | 2.1 | 7.1* | .5 | .0 | 14.3 |
Honors
- Joventut Badalona
- Saski Baskonia
- FC Barcelona
- Canarias
Individual awards
- Brazilian League Breakthrough Player: (2003)
- 5× All-Spanish League First Team: (2008,[30] 2011,[31] 2021, 2022, 2025)
- 2× All-Spanish League Second Team: (2020, 2023)
- FIBA AmeriCup All-Tournament Team: (2011)
- FIBA Intercontinental Cup MVP: (2020)
- 4× Basketball Champions League Star Lineup: (2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Basketball Champions League Final Four MVP: (2022)
- Basketball Champions League MVP: (2024, 2025)
- Liga ACB Best Latin American Player of the Year: (2019–2020), (2020–2021)
- Liga ACB MVP: (2025)