Jorge Garbajosa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jorge Garbajosa

Garbajosa in 2024
Personal information
Born	(1977-12-19) 19 December 1977 (age 47) Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1999 / Undrafted
Pro career	1994–2012
Career history
1994–2000	Taugrés/TAU Cerámica
2000–2004	Benetton Treviso
2004–2006	Unicaja
2006–2008	Toronto Raptors
2008–2009	Khimki Moscow Region
2009–2011	Real Madrid
2011–2012	Unicaja
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2007) Mr. Europa (2006) All-EuroLeague First Team (2003) All-EuroLeague Second Team (2006) EuroLeague steals leader (2003) FIBA Saporta Cup champion (1996) Liga ACB champion (2006) 2× Spanish Cup winner (1999, 2005) Liga ACB Finals MVP (2006) 2× All-Liga ACB Team (2005, 2006) Spanish Cup MVP (2005) 2× LBA champion (2002, 2003) 2× Italian Cup winner (2003, 2004) 2× Italian Super Cup winner (2001, 2002) Italian Cup MVP (2004)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  Spain Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 1 0 FIBA World Cup 1 0 0 EuroBasket 1 2 1 Total 2 3 1 Summer Olympics Silver 2008 Beijing FIBA World Cup Gold 2006 Japan EuroBasket Bronze 2001 Turkey Silver 2003 Sweden Silver 2007 Spain Gold 2009 Poland

Garbajosa with the Toronto Raptors in 2007 during a preseason game in Italy

Jorge Garbajosa Chaparro (born December 19, 1977) is a famous Spanish former professional basketball player. He is currently the President of FIBA Europe, which is a big basketball organization. Before that, he was the president of the Spanish Basketball Federation.

Jorge was a tall player, standing at 2.07 meters (6 feet 9 inches). He usually played as a power forward, a position close to the basket. Sometimes, he also played as a small forward. He was recognized as an "All-EuroLeague" player multiple times. This means he was one of the best players in Europe's top basketball league.

During his time in the NBA, he was chosen for the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2007. This award goes to the best new players in the league. Sadly, a serious injury later cut his NBA career short.

He also played for the Spanish national team. With them, he won many medals. These included a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2001, and silver medals in 2003 and 2007. He also won a gold medal at the EuroBasket 2009. His biggest win with the national team was a gold medal at the 2006 World Cup. His excellent playing earned him a spot on the "All-Tournament Team" at that event. In 2006, he was named "Mr Europa Player of the Year." This award is given to the best European basketball player.

Playing Basketball in Europe

Jorge Garbajosa started his professional basketball journey in Spain. He played for a team called Taugrés, later known as TAU Cerámica, from 1995 to 2000. In the 1998–99 season, he helped his team win the Spanish King's Cup. This was an important early victory for him.

Playing in Italy

After Spain, Jorge moved to Italy. He played for Benetton Treviso for four seasons, from 2000 to 2004. With Benetton, he won several important titles. He helped them win two Italian National Cups and two Italian Super Cups. They also won two Italian League championships.

During his time in Italy, Jorge was a top player. In the 2002–03 EuroLeague season, he averaged 13.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He also led the EuroLeague in steals, with 2.85 steals per game. Because of his great performance, he was named to the All-EuroLeague 2002–03 First Team. He was also named the 2003 Eurobasket.com Player of the Year.

Playing in Spain Again

After Italy, Jorge returned to Spain. He played for Unicaja for two seasons, from 2004 to 2006. He helped Unicaja win the 2005–06 Spanish League championship. They also won the Spanish Cup.

In the 2005–06 EuroLeague season, he was among the top 15 players in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He was also named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 2005 Spanish Cup. In 2006, he was the MVP of the Spanish League Finals. He also earned All-EuroLeague Second Team honors.

Overall, in his 11 seasons playing for these three European clubs, Jorge had great stats. He averaged 10.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 362 Spanish league games. In 105 EuroLeague games, he averaged 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.

Playing Basketball in the NBA

Garbajosa in his first season with the Toronto Raptors

On July 24, 2006, Jorge Garbajosa signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Raptors. This team plays in the NBA, which is the top basketball league in North America. He wore jersey number 15 for the Raptors.

Because of his experience, Jorge was a regular starter for the Raptors. He played a key role in helping the team perform well. In December 2006, he was named the "Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month." This award goes to the best new player in the Eastern part of the NBA.

Injury and Recovery

On March 26, 2007, Jorge suffered a serious injury to his left leg. This happened during a game against the Boston Celtics. The injury was very painful, and he had to be carried off the court. Doctors performed surgery to fix a broken bone in his leg, a displaced ankle, and damaged ligaments.

Because of this injury, he missed the rest of that season. He also missed the entire playoffs. In his first season with the Raptors, he averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Despite the injury, Jorge and his teammate Andrea Bargnani were both named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.

Jorge tried to return for the 2007–08 season. However, he needed more surgery on his leg and ankle in December 2007. In June 2008, the Raptors decided to end his contract early. Jorge had also been chosen to play for the Spanish Olympic basketball team. This was against the Raptors' wishes.

While playing for the Raptors, fans sometimes called him "The Garbage Man."

Returning to Europe

After his time in the NBA, Jorge Garbajosa returned to play in Europe. In 2008, he signed a two-year contract with a Russian team called Khimki Moscow Region. This was one of the most expensive contracts for a player in Europe at that time.

However, the next year, he was allowed to leave his contract early. He wanted to return to Spain and play for Real Madrid. This move was announced in August 2009. In 2011, Jorge and Real Madrid agreed to end his contract. In March 2011, he signed with Unicaja again. In May 2012, he decided to end his professional basketball career.

Playing for the Spanish National Team

Jorge Garbajosa played for the Spanish national team in many important tournaments. He represented Spain in two Summer Olympic Games: in 2000 and 2004.

He also won medals at the EuroBasket tournaments. He earned a bronze medal in 2001 and a silver medal in 2003.

World Cup Gold Medal

On September 3, 2006, Jorge's team won the gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. This was a huge achievement for Spain. In the final game against Greece, Jorge scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. His average for the tournament was 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Besides winning the gold medal, Jorge was also named to the FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team. This means he was one of the best players in the entire World Cup. His teammate Pau Gasol also made the team.

On January 1, 2007, Jorge was named "Mister Europa 2006." This award is given by an Italian magazine to the best European player. Other famous NBA players like Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol have also received this award.

At the 2007 EuroBasket, Jorge was a very important player for Spain. He helped his team reach the final game. However, Spain lost a very close game to Russia, 59–60. He later won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. He also won another gold medal at the 2009 EuroBasket.

After Retirement: A New Role

After ending his playing career, Jorge Garbajosa took on new leadership roles in basketball. On July 9, 2016, he was chosen as the President of the Spanish Basketball Federation. He was reelected to this position in 2020.

On May 20, 2023, Jorge was elected as the new President of FIBA Europe. This is a very important position in European basketball. He took over the role right away. As president of one of FIBA's zones, he is also a member of the FIBA Central Board. He serves as one of its vice presidents.

Images for kids

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  Garbajosa in 2024