By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
If you have to sum up modern Euroleague using just one player, then his name, specially after tonight, could be Juan Carlos Navarro. One of the legends of Spanish basketball is about the play his 253rd game in the competition, breaking the all time record of Thodoris Papaloukas. Born in 1980, three years after Theo, Navarro still has time to improve all his records. At this point his name is on the top of the all time list in nine different categories.
Euroleague all time records
- Games played: 253
- Performance index rating: 3,269
- Points scored: 3,416
- Three-point shots made: 494
- Three-point shots attempted: 1,281
- Free throws made: 700
- Free throws attempted: 821
- Field goals made: 1,111
- Field goals attempted: 2,507
He is also about to break J.R.Holden’s record for minutes played (6,553) as he needs 19 more minutes on the court in order to do so. Not bad for a two times Euroleague champion (2003, 2010), season MVP (2008-09) and Final Four MVP (2010).
He has played in every season of the current incarnation of Euroleague – since 2000-01 – with the exception of 2007-08 when he joined his close friend Pau Gasol in the NBA as a member of Memphis Grizzlies.