19.06.2008 13:13
A year among the stars
Jordi Clos
Juan Carlos Navarro has dealt handsomely with the challenge of playing among the best players in the world. Despite some problems, he has made a name for himself in the NBA.
On October 31, 2007, Juan Carlos Navarro’s dream came true when he made his NBA debut,
appearing for the Memphis Grizzlies alongside his friend Pau Gasol, although his rights were in
possession of the Washington Wizards. He scored 9 points in 17 minutes in his first game, against
San Antonio Spurs and his American adventure was on the way.
Gaining the confidence of Iavaroni
Marc Iavaroni, head coach, started to realise he had a star in the making, especially with
Navarro’s three point skills. He scored 8/9 in a December game from beyond the line,
equalling the record for a rookie. Playing in a team with the likes of Miki Conley, Rudy Gay and
Mike Miller, he won a regular place in the starting five, but the team’s results were
somewhat irregular.
All-Star
His performances earned him a spot in the All Star Rookie
match between new stars of this year and of the previous one, what are called the 'sophomores',
following in the footsteps of compatriots Pau Gasol and Jorge Garbajosa. He played well, and was
the third highest scorer in the game with 14 points.
Traumatic loss of Gasol
Losing Gasol to the Lakers was a major blow to Memphis, and without their franchise player,
Navarro had also lost a good friend and influence. It was downhill from there on for Memphis and
they ended the regular season second last in the Western Conference with a poor 22-60 record.
Historic achievement
But although his team was failing to impress, Juan Carlos Navarro did. In 82 games in his
rookie season, he scored an average 10.9 points in an average 25.8 minutes a game. And his 156
triples were an outstanding achievement, the second highest number ever registered by a first year
player.
Photos: www.nba.com/grizzlies
Four best rookie three points registers
158 - Kerry Kittles (New Jersey, 1996-97)
156 - Juan Carlos Navarro (Memphis, 2007-08)
155 - Allen Iverson (Philadelphia, 1996-97)
154 - Matt Maloney (Houston, 1996-97)