FCBARCELONA.CAT

19.06.2008 13:00

Navarro comes home

Sònia de Alba / Carles Cascante / David Saura

Juan Carlos Navarro is coming home. After a year in the NBA, the Catalan guard is back on the FC Barcelona books for five years – and will be the star element of a brand new look to the team.

Number 11 will be worn again at the Palau Blaugrana with Navarro emblazoned on the back. 350 days after it was announced that he could negotiate with any NBA team he liked, the man from Sant Feliu de Llobregat, age 28, has decided to pack his bags and leave Memphis (USA), and come back to his home country and club.

A reference

By signing Juan Carlos Navarro, Xavi Pascual has the guarantee of one of the finest players in European hoops. Navarro is a class scorer, a born leader and somebody the Palau readily identifies with.

Great year in the NBA

Now he has the added experience of a year in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, where his shown he can hold is own in the biggest league in the world, taking several responsibilities, and hitting the basket when it mattered most. He played 82 games, averaging 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game, and was chosen for the All Star Rookie match and came within an inch of beating the NBA rookie record for three pointers.

More to win

On his return to Europe, Navarro will be looking to extend his honours with Barça, where he has already won four ACB league, one Euroleague, there Spanish Cups and one Korac Cup. He originally joined the club in 1992/93, as a youth player, moving up to the first team a year later and staying there for five seasons.