ESP – Spanish Raptor Calderon takes one for the team

TORONTO (NBA) – Why is Jose Calderon such an important member of Spain’s national side and an integral part of the Toronto Raptors?

He’s one of the best playmakers in the world, but he’s also one of the most unselfish ones.

The third-year NBA star has revealed that he agreed to leaving the line-up to allow former starter TJ Ford to return to the starting point guard role as the Raptors look for a solution to their recent slide.

Calderon hasn’t played badly at all in recent weeks but coach Sam Mitchell is looking for any kind of edge that he can find to help the Raptors win games and get to the play-offs, and he thinks Calderon can be just as valuable coming off the bench to spell Ford as he is when he starts.

"They (Toronto) called me and I thanked them,” Calderon said.

“They wanted to talk about the bad run of the team. They know I bring ideas for everything to work and they believe I am an important player.

“We spoke and we agreed for me to be a substitute as it was better for the team. I think it was a good option and that is why I accepted.”

Some players have Calderon’s stature might have had a negative reaction, but that’s not his style.

"I guess I could have said `no’ or made a scene, but that´s not me and it wouldn´t have been good for the team.

"This is a team sport. You cannot focus on the individual. In any case, I think it would be the same if I played the worst games of my life from here until the end of the season, my contract of next year wouldn´t change.

“If anything, it will make me a more expensive player. There are values in the team that are as important as the numbers.”

Calderon also said, however, that he hopes Toronto recognizes that he is putting the team first.

"I have made a sacrifice for the team and I hope they will repay me,” he said.

"I feel more respected by my team-mates now than before."

Toronto have won just three of their last 10 games and are 36-35, seventh in the Eastern Conference.

They would have to endure a major collapse to miss the play-offs, however.

FIBA