“Today, I believe I reached my breaking point for a reason. To truly understand what it takes to overcome these challenges and to help other athletes avoid similar struggles.”

Juan Fernandez

Born into a family of athletes, Juan grew up surrounded by both the beauty and the challenges of elite sports. His father, former professional basketball player and 5x league campion in Argentina, and his younger brother, Gustavo Fernandez, a Paralympic bronze medalist and nine-time Grand Slam wheelchair tennis champion, helped shap his early view of athletics and high performance. 

  • Developed through youth divisions across Argentina and represented the country on the junior national team
  • At 18, faced a defining choice: begin a professional career in Spain or move to Philadelphia to play NCAA Division I basketball with Temple University and earn a college degree.
  • Took the advice of his mentor at the time, Pepe Sanchez (Argentine Olympic gold medalist, Temple alum, and former NBA player and Euroleague champion) and chose to pursue college basketball.
  • Became a key contributor for the Temple Owls, won many academic and athletic awards, and helped the team earn four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances
  • At the end of his senior year, signed a multi-year contract with Olimpia Milano, marking the official start of his professional career
  • Competed for nearly a decade across leagues including: Italy’s Serie A and A2, Spain’s LEB Oro, and Argentina’s Liga Nacional.
  • Represented his country on the Argentine National Team.
  • Won two promotional championships.
  • Reached the playoffs in every full professional season.

In 2022, Juan stepped away from basketball mid-season after reaching a breaking point marked by burnout and depression. Over the following two years, he worked closely with a psychologist and mental performance coach to rebuild his mental health and redefine his relationship with the game. That process restored clarity and balance, and ultimately made possible a return to professional basketball after a two-year hiatus.

During this period, Juan collaborated with RINDO Consultora under the guidance of co-founder and sports psychologist César Bernhardt, gaining hands-on experience coaching athletes and leaders in mindset and performance. While coaching at IMG Academy, he witnessed young athletes competing with genuine joy and freedom, an experience that helped reconnect him to why he began playing and inspired his return to the court.

In 2024, he returned to the EuroCup with Reyer Venezia and now plays for LUISS Roma, where he also serves as Head Mental Performance Coach for the AS Luiss Sport Lab at LUISS.

Through TRUEMIND ATHLETE, Juan applies the same principles that guided his own recovery to help athletes build clarity, resilience, and a more sustainable relationship with performance.

Education
Juan speaks fluent English, Spanish, and Italian. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Temple University, a Master’s degree in Creative Literature from the University of Valencia, and is currently completing a second Master’s degree in Physiology. 

 

Outside of Basketball
He is also the father of two. Juan enjoys reading, following his lifelong soccer club River Plate, and traveling to Argentina to spend time with his family.

Gustavo Fernandez, Bronze Medalist, Paris 2024

Juan made his return to basketball playing in Eurocup with Reyer Venezia, 2024

Why Athletes & Teams Choose to Work with Juan

He has been where they are. He understands the pressure, the expectations, and what it feels like when confidence and direction erode. Having lived both elite success and periods of loss, he did the work required to return with greater clarity and stability.

His approach is practical and experience-driven. He helps athletes sharpen focus, prepare with intention, and rebuild a sustainable relationship with performance.

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