MADRID (Reuters) - Spain shooting guard Rudy Fernandez said he was leaving local side DKV Joventut to join the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

"They have pushed hard for me to join them and have assured me I will be an important figure for them," Fernandez told a news conference.

"It wasn't an easy decision to take but it is the time for a new challenge after a fantastic year with Joventut."

The 23-year-old helped Joventut to last season's King's Cup and ULEB Cup -- Europe's second tier event behind the Euroleague -- and was voted into the ideal starting five for the Spanish ACB league for the 2007-8 campaign.

Fernandez was a member of the Spain team that won gold at the world championship in 2006 and silver in the European championship in 2007.

He joins up with fellow countryman Sergio Rodriguez at Portland, and becomes the fifth Spain international in the NBA along with Rodriguez, Pau Gasol, Jorge Garbajosa, Juan Carlos Navarro and Jose Manuel Calderon.

Fernandez will join up with Portland after the forthcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

(Writing by Mark Elkington; editing by Padraic Halpin)