León David Najnudel (14 July 1941 – 22 April 1998)El comienzo de la leyenda de León Najnudel on Basquet Plus was an Argentine professional basketball player and basketball coach, and the main driving force in the creation of the Liga Nacional de Básquet, the first nationwide yearly professional basketball league in Argentina.
Najnudel is considered the most prominent figure in the history of basketball in Argentina,León Najnudel, a 82 años de su nacimiento: por qué es el hombre más importante del básquet argentino by Julián Mozo on Infobae, 14 Jul 2023 and also named "the father of Argentine basketball".León Najnudel, el padre del básquet argentino by Carlos Viacava on La Prensa. 31 Aug 2023
He coached several teams along his career, including the Argentina national team
Biography
Najnudel had a strong passion for basketball since his early age. He played in Villa Crespo, Victoria, Barracas Juniors and Atlanta. He started his coaching career at the Atlanta's children and youth divisions, when the club was presided by León Kolbowski, one of the most prominent executives in its history.
When Atlanta fired its basketball senior coach Jaime Pérez in 1963, Kolbowski asked Najnudel (who was only 21 by then) to take over the team. Under his guidance, Atlanta made a great campaign and promoted to Primera División after defeating Deportivo Español in the final. Najnudel continued coaching Atlanta until 1971.
In 1969 Najnudel was hired by the Basketball Association of Junín to coach the local team at the provincial championship. He also coached Santiago del Estero team in the 1970 Argentine Championship in Catamarca.
In 1976 Najnudel was hired as coach of Ferro Carril Oeste, where he won the Campeonato Sudamericano de Clubes in 1981 and 1982. During those years, Najnudel forged a relationship with Ferro's football coach Carlos Griguol, who used to visit him at the training sessions to adapt Najnudel's tactic moves to the football team, which would win the 1982 and 1984 Primera División titles, the only senior titles for the club to date.
Najnudel, along coaches José María Cavallero and Horacio Seguí, as well as journalist Osvaldo Ricardo Orcasitas (nicknamed ORO), were the main proponents of the creation of the Liga Nacional de Básquet. Sports magazine El Gráfico gave a strong support to the initiative. The goal was finally achieved on 26 April 1985, when the first game of the league was played.El nacimiento de La Liga on LNB
The new nationwide league allowed basketball to grow in cities other than Buenos Aires, like in Bahía Blanca and Córdoba, that became important basketball centers.
In 1985 Najnudel became coach of the Argentina national team, qualifying for the 1986 World Cup after finishing 3rd. in the qualification round. It was the return to the top competition after 12 years of absence.
Najnudel's coaching career continued in Sport Club Cañadense (1986-1988), Ferro Carril Oeste (his second run on the team, winning the LNB title in 1989),A 30 años de la última Liga de Ferro, con León como DT on Basquet Plus. 1 Nov 2019 Deportivo San Andrés (1990–91), Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia (1991–93), Boca Juniors (1993–95), Racing Club (1995–96), and a second return to Ferro C. Oeste (1996–97) to end his career. In Liga Nacional, Najnudel set a record of 241 wins and 207 loses.
After his retirement, Najnudel served as adviser at the Secretariat of Sports of Argentina.
Najnudel died of leukemia in 1998, after one year and a half of battling the disease.
Coaching career
Teams
Nat. Team Tenure Ref. Atlanta 1963–1971 Corrientes youth team 1971–1975 Ferro Carril Oeste 1976–1982 CB Zaragoza 1983–1984 El recuerdo imborrable de León Najnudel on Uno Contra Uno Argentina national team 1985 Aquel seleccionado argentino de gigantes de Najnudel on Basquet Plus. 24 Dec 2024 Sport Club Cañadense 1986–1988 Ferro Carril Oeste 1988–1990 Deportivo San Andrés 1991 El legado de León Najnudel, un revolucionario del básquetbol on El Litoral Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) 1992–1993 Boca Juniors 1994–1995 Boca: una nueva cita con la historia on LNB Racing Club 1995 En imagen y palabra on Racingclub.com.ar. 7 Aug 2022 Ferro Carril Oeste 1996
Titles Ferro Carril Oeste Campeonato Sudamericano de Clubes: 1981, 1982 Liga Nacional de Básquet: 1989 CB Zaragoza Copa del Rey de Baloncesto: 1983
Statistics League games: 448 games with 241 wins and 207 losses (53,80%) Regular Series: 388 games with 207 wins and 181 losses (53,35%) Post-Season: 60 games with 34 wins and 26 losses (56,66%)
References