Jorge Garbajosa ignored the advice of the Raptors and played in the European championship this summer. Even though that decision has backfired -- the team now claims that he needs another surgery before his leg will completely heal -- and his 2007-08 season may be completely derailed, don't expect to hear any bitterness from his teammates. From the Toronto Star: "I didn't have a problem with it," [Chris] Bosh said yesterday after it became official that the Raptors' team doctors think a second surgery is necessary on Garbajosa's left leg and ankle. "If he wants to play, he wants to play. He's a man, he's going to make his own decisions whether you like it or not; if he's going to make that decision, I support him."It's interesting to hear Bosh's take because he was in a similar situation as Garbajosa last summer: he pulled out of contention for a spot on Team USA once his foot started acted up.
But Bosh is the first to admit that the situations just don't compare:
"They have a whole different pride about it, just their overall camaraderie with their team, the way they look forward to it every year and then the Eurobasket was in Spain.I don't doubt that Garbajosa waited a long time for his home country to host the championships, but now the Raptors will be waiting a long time just to get him back on the court again. I hate to lump all European players in one basket, but for a lot of these guys, playing in the NBA is simply a job, not the ultimate dream that kids grow up having here in the states. So in the end, he really got the best of both worlds -- he played in EuroBasket and he's still getting paid NBA money -- the only question is whether it's the Raptors signing the checks or an insurance agency.
"I'm sure he was waiting on that a long time; it was probably a different mindset."
I'm not trying to sound cynical or put Garbajosa in a bad light, because ultimately it was the Raptors' decision to allow him to play. But between Pau Gasol getting hurt in 2006 and Garbajosa this year, I have to imagine NBA teams in general will be far less amiable to players under contract moonlighting with their national teams during the summer.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-28-2007 @ 9:48AM
Adrian said...
Yeah, ok, but have you ever considered that Garbajosa's dream might have been to play for Spain not in the NBA? What's wrong with that?
And insofar as thinking along the lines of "playing in the NBA is just a job", allow me to present you exhibits A-Z, in no particular Carter, Varejao, Shaq, Walker, Tim Thomas, Jerome James, Marbury, Sprewell, Houston and, well, almost everyone besides G Hill, S Nash, T Duncan and other 10 guys.
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11-28-2007 @ 10:36AM
BetFL said...
Adrian I agree fully with your comment, and also with what Bosh said.
People may think he is simply saying this because he was in a similar position last year, as you rightly said. Btu players are always going to want to represent their country aren't they? I don't think Garbajosa played for Spain because he isn't bothered about his club, I believe it is because, as Adrian said, it was probably a dream come true - especially with the Championships taking place in his country.
Obviously it's bad for the Raptors to lose him but if his team-mates don't 'begrudge' him, surely that shows he isn't in the wrong? Sam Mitchell will probably be annoyed but at the end of the day, as Bosh said, players are always going to make their own decisions.
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11-28-2007 @ 10:50AM
solo said...
I don' think its any body's fault. NBA or FEBA they are all professional basketball, one play for team pride and one play for national pride. So it can never be ones fault try to fight for the team or their country. Yes, you get paid big buck to play in NBA. So you spill your guts in 6 months period to give it back to the team. But for nation pride, you only get one chance in a few year, some may never got that chance, how you one ask the other to pass on that. Like Adrian said, we have plenty of American players pass on the chance, its their choice, did anyone parise or bash them for that ? So Steve Nash is burnt out on national side, but who can blame him, how long he has to carry the nation team on his back, human do age, you know.
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