Former Memphis Grizzlies point guard Juan Carlos Navarro remembers his time in NBA
Former Memphis Grizzlies point guard Juan Carlos Navarro still remembers his time in NBA. The Spanish star, who is nowadays busy participating in the 2011 FIBA EuroBasket recollected his time NBA stint recently and also shed light
on the reasons which led him to make an exit from NBA.
In an exclusive interview with Intereconomia, when Navarro was asked if he regretted his decision to part ways with NBA, his answer was blunt ‘NO’.
“No, because there was a series of circumstances that did not make me feel at ease. The team was bad, the language was a barrier and my family, my girls were not comfortable. So when I had the option of returning to my team life,
earning headlines again, and to be important, not waste it. If it had fallen on another team that would have been better, Playoffs, everything might have been different. I do not regret having gone, but not to be back.”
Juan Carlos Navarro started his professional basketball career in Spain with FC Barcelona in 1997. Very soon, he established a reputation as one of the top point guards in Europe. His first major achievement came in the form of
a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. Two years later, he won the Catalan Tournament Finals’ MVP in 2001.
Navarro was drafted 40th by the Washington Wizards in second round of 2002 NBA draft, but he preferred playing in Barcelona to regain some more experience. He played five more years in Spain and eventually made his way
into NBA in 2007. The Wizards traded Navarro’s draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies on the same night and Navarro got an opportunity to play alongside his friend Pau Gasol.
Navarro was impressive in his rookie season and was selected in NBA All-rookie second team after averaging 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. However, he was used mostly off the bench and didn’t get enough playing
minutes. The departure of Pau Gasol to Los Angeles Lakers in the next season proved to be the last straw and Navarro decided to end his NBA association.
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