Hernán Montenegro

Hernán Montenegro
Born	(1966-08-08) August 8, 1966 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Occupation	Basketball player
Years active	1980s–2012
Known for	Argentine basketball center, nicknamed "El Loco"

Hernán Abel Montenegro (born August 8, 1966) is a retired Argentine basketball player, widely acknowledged as one of the premier centers in Latin America. Renowned for his vibrant personality and unconventional approach, he was popularly dubbed "El Loco" ("The Crazy One"). His skills often invited comparisons to prominent figures such as Puerto Rican José Piculín Ortiz, Brazilian Oscar Schmidt, and Spanish Fernando Martín Espina.

Early Years

Montenegro started playing basketball when he was just five years old, capitalizing on his remarkable stature. He made his senior-level debut with Club Leandro N. Alem, competing against athletes nearly ten years his senior. Subsequently, he transferred to Club Villa Mitre. In 1981, he earned a spot on Argentina's youth national squad for the Pan American Games hosted in Montevideo.

By 1983, Montenegro took part in the Youth World Championship held in Spain, where Argentina finished seventh. His standout performances caught the attention of international scouts, which resulted in his signing with CAI Zaragoza at age 17.

European and NBA Experience

Montenegro's first appearance with the Senior Argentina national basketball team came in 1985 during the South American championship in Medellín. At 19 years old, he launched his professional journey in the Liga Nacional de Básquet (LNB) playing for Olimpo. The team advanced to the LNB finals but was ultimately defeated by Ferro Carril Oeste, led by Miguel Cortijo.

He represented Argentina at the 1986 FIBA World Championship, where the team secured 12th place. In 1987, Montenegro briefly played for Unión de Santa Fe before returning to Olimpo for the postseason.

His career then took him to Puerto Rico with the Gigantes de Carolina, where he averaged 10.2 rebounds across 12 games. Montenegro received a basketball scholarship from Louisiana State University, but an injury to his left ankle led him to end his collegiate career early to focus on family responsibilities. During the 1988 NBA draft, he was selected 57th overall by the Philadelphia Sixers, making him one of the first Argentines drafted alongside Giant Jorge González (#54). However, neither player appeared in official NBA matches as both were released before the season commenced.

In 1989, Montenegro competed in Italy’s second division with Annabella Pavia, where over 43 games he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Return to Argentina

Though initially planning otherwise, Montenegro returned to Argentina in 1990 due to disciplinary challenges and personal disagreements. He signed with Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca, his hometown team, where he arguably delivered some of his finest career performances during the 1990–91 LNB season. Leading a squad that included notable players such as Juan Espil, Javier Maretto, and José Luis Gil, Estudiantes reached the finals but were defeated by GEPU San Luis, captained by Héctor Campana. Throughout the season, Montenegro averaged 22 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest.

One memorable moment was his buzzer-beater two-point shot in the semifinals against Sport Club Cañadense, which secured Estudiantes’ advancement to the championship series.

1992 Pre-Olympic Games

After demonstrating impressive form in the Liga Nacional, Montenegro returned to the national squad for the 1992 Tournament of the Americas held in Portland. Teaming up with prominent figures such as Marcelo Milanesio and Héctor Campana, Argentina advanced to the semi-final stage but ultimately lost to the iconic USA "Dream Team", which featured legendary players including Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Larry Bird.

Prior to that matchup, Montenegro had a tattoo of the number "22" inked on the back of his neck—a mark recognized in Argentina as representing "the crazy man." This caught the attention of NBC's commentator, who quipped, "Tonight, Robinson and Ewing are going to be haunted by the 'crazy twenty-two'." This moment contributed to his lasting moniker "El Loco" ("The Crazy"), which encapsulates his unique character both on and off the court.

Late career

In 1992, Montenegro moved to Italy's Lega 2, joining Brescia; however, he soon made his way back to Argentina for the 1993–94 campaign with GEPU San Luis. The subsequent season (1994–95) saw him donning the jersey of Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia, where he recorded a career-high average of 8.8 rebounds per game.

During the 1995–96 season, he returned to Estudiantes before signing with Valle Inferior from Viedma, Río Negro, participating in 11 contests and concluding that year playing for Venezuela’s Guaiqueríes. In 1997–98, Montenegro became part of Club Sportivo Independiente, sharing the court with emerging talent Andrés Nocioni.

Return and definite retirement

In February 2012, two years after initially retiring, Montenegro signed with Del Progreso from Río Negro Province to compete in Argentina’s third-tier league, Torneo Federal.

He officially ended his playing career in April 2012 at age 45 due to cardiac concerns, publicly announcing his retirement through his verified Facebook account.

Honors

Throughout his career, Montenegro earned several distinctions including:

• Champion of the Argentine League slam dunk contest in 1991.
• Named Argentine League MVP in 1995.
• Selected for the Argentine League All-Star Game in 1991, 1995, and 1998.