ARG - Delfino knows it's now or never

BUENOS AIRES (NBA) - Carlos Delfino believes this season with the Toronto Raptors will make or break his career in the NBA.

The shooting guard, a member of the Argentina side that finished runners-up at the FIBA Americas Championship this summer to qualify for the Olympics, left the Detroit Pistons this summer for the Raptors in a trade and he told the Ole newspaper back in his home country: "This is my last season under contract and if I don't do things well, next year I won't clinch a good contract and will have to return to Europe.

"If I am outstanding, I'm sure I will sign an even better contract."

Delfino, 25, was among the biggest stars in Italy at Fortitudo Bologna but never received much playing time in Detroit.

"The two parties tried a thousand things to make my situation in Detroit better, but unsuccessfully," he said.

"This is my last chance because I finally left Detroit and Toronto is a different club.

"If I had stayed with the Pistons, I'm sure it would have been my last NBA season."

Delfino says his performance this summer in Las Vegas has given him a confidence boost. 

"I'm very motivated and very happy," he said. "The national team was very important for me and I have to build on that performance."

Matias Greco, Buenos Aires
FIBA