ESP - Navarro free to leave Barcelona for NBA

BARCELONA (NBA) - The shackles are finally off Spain international Juan Carlos Navarro with Winterthur Barcelona announcing on Tuesday night they were allowing the 6ft 3in guard to leave for the NBA.

Navarro, 27, whose draft rights are held by Washington, will join fellow Spaniards Pau Gasol, Jose Manuel Calderon, Jorge Garbajosa and Sergio Rodriguez in the world's top league if he agrees personal terms with the Wizards or another NBA team.

A statement on the Barcelona website said: "Juan Carlos Navarro will finally be able to complete his dream of playing in the NBA.

"The Spanish international and Barcelona have reached an agreement to end the contract. Navarro will be available to sign for any team of the NBA, thus being able to achieve the aim he had since last season. His rights are currently held by the Washington Wizards."

Navarro is an explosive scorer who has been one of the top players in the Spanish ACB and the Euroleague in recent years.

He announced last summer that he wanted to go to the NBA but Barcelona balked at the request.

On Tuesday, the club granted his wish.

"I am extremely happy with the help the club have given me, especially the president Joan Laporta to allow me to make my dream of playing in the NBA," Navarro said.

"I can only thank all the fans who have always showed their support towards me. I will never forget it.

"I always believed that I could go to the NBA and play against the best players in the world. Now I will try to make all the "bombas" possible on the courts of the NBA."

Navarro, who made his ACB debut with Barcelona at the age of 17, is nicknamed La Bomba because of the long three-point bombs he drops on opponents.

He is an integral part of Spain's national team and played a pivotal role for them last summer when they won the gold medal at the FIBA World Championship in Japan.

By Jeff Taylor
FIBA