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Though by no stretch of the imagination is he an NBA superstar, Eduardo Najera (pronounced NA-her-a) is notable as he is only the second Mexican to play in the National Basketball Association. After finishing high school in Mexico, a young Najera decided he wanted to become a professional basketball player in the USA. In order to learn English, he went to America as an exchange student, where he attended a Christian high school in San Antonio, TX. After that, he attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was a star contributor on the Sooners basketball squad, as well as a sociology major. In the 2000 NBA Draft, the 6'8" Small Forward was selected with the 38th pick by the Houston Rockets, but was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, along with a future 2nd round draft pick, in exchange for the rights to Dan Langhi. Eddie's sophomore season (2001-2002) has been his most successful yet, with averages of 6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 0.6 apg in around 21 minutes per game. He is known for standout defensive plays, and has been nicknamed Eddie Energy by Mavs fans, in reference to the spark and hustle he brings to the team on both ends of the floor. He is known around the league as a Blue Collar player, and is a member of Coach Don Nelson's Glue Crew. As of September 28, 2002, Eddie Najera has re-signed with Dallas in a six-year deal worth about $20 million.
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