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José Calderón (basketball)
Encyclopedia
José Manuel Calderón Borrallo (born September 28, 1981, in Villanueva de la Serena
, Badajoz
) is a Spanish
professional basketball
player who plays for the National Basketball Association
's (NBA) Toronto Raptors
and the Spanish national team
.
debut playing for CB Lucentum Alicante
. He switched teams to Baloncesto Fuenlabrada
in the 2001–02 season, but seeing his playing time curtailed, he moved again the next season to TAU Cerámica
. There, Calderón played behind former NBA guard Elmer Bennett
at point for most of the season, and in the 2003–04 season, he won the King's Cup
with TAU Cerámica. In 2005, he led TAU Cerámica to the Euroleague
Final Four, where they finished second.
on 3 August 2005. Known as a talented playmaker, Calderón struggled with his shooting in his first year in the NBA. By the end of the 2005–06 season, he was ranked third among all rookies in assists
with 4.5 per game. He finished the season with 64 played games, having started in 11 of them. He averaged 5.5 points
, 4.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds
and an assists-per-turnover ratio of 2.85.
, turning in solid numbers from the bench. As acknowledged by coach Sam Mitchell
as well as his teammates, Calderón's form was instrumental to the Raptors' push for a playoff spot
, and later, the Atlantic Division
title. He ended his regular season with improved averages of 8.8 points and 5.1 assists per game and .525 in field goal percentage
, even though he had less playing time compared to his rookie season. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs
, Calderón played in all of Toronto's games in the series against the New Jersey Nets
, but the Raptors were defeated 4–2. Calderón averaged 13.0 points and 5.3 assists per game in his first NBA playoff season.
, Cleveland Cavaliers
and Chicago Bulls
, Calderón provided 37 assists while committing only three turnovers
. 14 games into the season, he was also leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio with 5.67 to 1, but even so, he said: "But how I feel about the team right now is that we need T.J. Ford [for the next game]." 35 games into the season, the Spaniard increased the turnover ratio to 6.15 to 1, setting him on course to break an NBA record (he went to end the season as the league-leader with 5.38 to 1). He shot at least 50% on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws, and is sometimes listed as the sixth member of the NBA's 50-40-90 Club
even though he was sixteen free-throws shy of attaining the NBA league minimum number of makes in this category. By mid-season, he was touted as a possibility for making the All-Star reserve team. Even after Ford returned from injury for the final third of the campaign, Calderón was able to keep his place in the starting lineup. Ford had initially agreed to playing backup, but reportedly became frustrated at not being able to start. Calderón eventually asked the coaching staff to play Ford as starter instead, leading to widespread praise from the coaching staff, teammates, and fans. Given that he was going to become a free agent by the end of the campaign, there were even calls for Ford to be traded so that the team could be built around Calderón as point guard. By the end of the regular season, Calderón was fifth in the league for assists per game, and in the 2008 NBA Playoffs
, Ford split the playing time with him about equally, with the two players combining for averages of 23.4 points and 13.6 assists per game. However, the Raptors were eliminated by the Orlando Magic
in the first round four games to one.
, the Spaniard was slated to start the point guard position for the Raptors. At the same time, new acquisition Jermaine O'Neal
formed the frontcourt with Bosh. However, 17 games into the season, Toronto fired head coach Sam Mitchell
and the line-ups were constantly shuffled. By the end of 2008, the Raptors were 12–20, but with Calderón out for almost a month thereafter, the team slipped to 16–28. When Calderón returned to the Raptors lineup, he helped snap a seven-game losing streak with a 114–94 victory over Chicago, recording 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 10 assists. Not long after, he set the second-longest streak in NBA history for consecutive free throws made (87). On 13 March 2009, Calderón surpassed Alvin Williams
' franchise record for career assists with 1795. On 29 March 2009, in a game against Chicago, he tied the franchise record for most assists in game with 19, and not long after, set an NBA record for highest free-throw percentage in a season. These records, however, were overshadowed by the Raptors rapidly falling out of the playoffs picture soon after the All-Star break, and the criticism Calderón faced for being unable to defend and play an up-tempo game. Toronto eventually finished with a 33–49 record, with the Spaniard leading the Eastern Conference
in assists per game and the league in free throw percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio.
from Indiana to play as Calderón's back-up and point forward
Hedo Türkoğlu to share in ball-handling duties. With a third of the season gone, the Spaniard picked up an injury that put him out for 12 games, resulting in Jack holding on to the starting spot even upon the former's return, paralleling the Ford-Calderón scenario in 2007–08. Still, the pair combined well and helped bring the Raptors to a 21–20 record at the mid-season mark.
, as well as the bronze medal at the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
. As his career advanced, the point guard began appearing for the Spanish national senior team
. Calderón was part of the Spanish national team which finished fifth at the 2002 World Championships
and second at the 2003 European Championships
. He was later named the team captain during the 2004 Summer Olympics
, and on 3 September 2006, Calderón and his Spanish squad defeated Greece
, and won the 2006 FIBA World Championship
along with future Raptors teammate, Jorge Garbajosa
. In EuroBasket 2007
, Calderón and Garbajosa again featured for the Spanish team. In the knockout stages, Calderón recorded a game-high 17 points as Spain defeated Germany
83–55 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Calderón scored 18 points in Spain's defeat of Greece
. The Spaniard led his team in points again in the final, but Spain lost 60–59 to Russia
. In the 2008 Olympics
, Calderón was part of the squad that won the silver medal, but was injured and therefore could not play in the semifinal and the final game. He averaged 7.3 points per game in the tournament.
, Calderón is known for being a pass-first, low-turnover playmaker. Offensively, he is a capable shooter, with consistent range up to the 3-point line. He is also one of the best free throw
shooters in the NBA, having set an NBA record for free throw shooting (98.1%) in 2008–09.
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Toronto
| 64 || 11 || 23.2 || .423 || .163 || .848 || 2.2 || 4.5 || .7 || .1 || 5.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Toronto
| 77 || 11 || 21.0 || .521 || .333 || .818 || 1.7 || 5.0 || .8 || .1 || 8.7
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 82 || 56 || 30.3 || .519 || .429 || .908 || 2.9 || 8.3|| 1.1 || .1 || 11.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 68 || 34.3 || .497 || .406 || .981 || 2.9 || 8.9 || 1.1 || .1 || 12.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 39 || 26.7 || .482 || .398 || .798 || 2.1 || 5.9 || .7 || .1 || 10.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 55 || 30.9 || .440 || .365 || .854 || 3.0 || 8.9 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 427 || 240 || 27.7 || .486 || .383 || .874 || 2.5 || 7.0 || .9 || .1 || 9.8
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Toronto
| 6 || 1 || 24.3 || .507 || .250 || .833 || 1.7 || 5.3 || .8 || .0 || 13.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 5 || 0 || 24.0 || .440 || .476 || 1.000 || 3.6 || 7.0 || .2 || .0 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 11 || 1 || 24.1 || .479 || .394 || .909 || 2.5 || 6.1 || .6 || .0 || 12.5
on 26 November 2007. He ended the game with 14 assists.
Calderon is a co-owner of an organic pig farm.
He is married to Ana Hurtado. The couple welcomed their first child, a boy named Manuel, in Villanueva de la Serena
on May 23, 2010.
Villanueva de la Serena
Villanueva de la Serena is a city in Badajoz Province, Extremadura, Spain. It has a population of 26,111 and forms part of a larger urban area with the neighbouring town of Don Benito....
, Badajoz
Badajoz (province)
The province of Badajoz is a province of western Spain located in the autonomous community of Extremadura. It was formed in 1833. It is bordered by the provinces of Cáceres, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Seville, and Huelva, and by Portugal....
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who plays for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's (NBA) Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
and the Spanish national team
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
.
European career
The 6'3" (1.91 m), 210 lb (95 kg) Calderón spent his first six seasons playing in Europe. He made his Spanish leagueAsociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
debut playing for CB Lucentum Alicante
CB Lucentum Alicante
Club Baloncesto Lucentum Alicante is a professional basketball team based in Alicante, Valencian Community. Lucentum Alicante is member of the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto .-Sponsorship naming:...
. He switched teams to Baloncesto Fuenlabrada
Baloncesto Fuenlabrada
Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, S.A.D. is a professional basketball team based in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain, currently playing in the Liga ACB. The club was founded in 1981 as C.B. Fuenlabrada, and promoted to the Spanish Top Division in 1996...
in the 2001–02 season, but seeing his playing time curtailed, he moved again the next season to TAU Cerámica
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
. There, Calderón played behind former NBA guard Elmer Bennett
Elmer Bennett
Elmer James Bennett is a retired American professional basketball player. He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the 1992 NBA Draft. Bennett played in 21 career games in the NBA in a span of three seasons. A 6'0" and 170 lb point guard, he averaged 2.3 points per game...
at point for most of the season, and in the 2003–04 season, he won the King's Cup
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
The Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
with TAU Cerámica. In 2005, he led TAU Cerámica to the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Final Four, where they finished second.
NBA career
Rookie season
Calderón entered the NBA when former Raptors GM Rob Babcock persuaded the Spanish guard to sign with the Toronto RaptorsToronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
on 3 August 2005. Known as a talented playmaker, Calderón struggled with his shooting in his first year in the NBA. By the end of the 2005–06 season, he was ranked third among all rookies in assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
with 4.5 per game. He finished the season with 64 played games, having started in 11 of them. He averaged 5.5 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, 4.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
and an assists-per-turnover ratio of 2.85.
2006–07 season
Throughout the 2006–07 season, Calderón played primarily as backup to T. J. FordT. J. Ford
Terrance Jerod "T. J." Ford is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for KK Zagreb. Having been awarded numerous top basketball accolades in high school and college, Ford entered the 2003 NBA Draft and was selected eighth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks...
, turning in solid numbers from the bench. As acknowledged by coach Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
as well as his teammates, Calderón's form was instrumental to the Raptors' push for a playoff spot
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
, and later, the Atlantic Division
Atlantic Division (NBA)
The Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors...
title. He ended his regular season with improved averages of 8.8 points and 5.1 assists per game and .525 in field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
, even though he had less playing time compared to his rookie season. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
, Calderón played in all of Toronto's games in the series against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but the Raptors were defeated 4–2. Calderón averaged 13.0 points and 5.3 assists per game in his first NBA playoff season.
2007–08 season
Toronto continued to deploy Ford and Calderón in tandem for the point guard position to good effect. Ford was injured for several games in November and December and the Spaniard stepped in with impressive performances. In three games against the Memphis GrizzliesMemphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
and Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Calderón provided 37 assists while committing only three turnovers
Turnover (basketball)
In basketball, a turnover occurs when a player from one team gives possession to a member of the opposing team by losing the ball. This can result from the ball being stolen, the player making mistakes such as stepping out or throwing the ball out of bounds, or committing a violation or committing...
. 14 games into the season, he was also leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio with 5.67 to 1, but even so, he said: "But how I feel about the team right now is that we need T.J. Ford [for the next game]." 35 games into the season, the Spaniard increased the turnover ratio to 6.15 to 1, setting him on course to break an NBA record (he went to end the season as the league-leader with 5.38 to 1). He shot at least 50% on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws, and is sometimes listed as the sixth member of the NBA's 50-40-90 Club
50-40-90 Club (NBA)
The 50–40–90 Club is an informal term referring to the very exclusive group of National Basketball Association players who have had a shooting percentage at or above 50% for field goals, 40% for three-point field goals, and 90% for free throws during an entire NBA season while also achieving the...
even though he was sixteen free-throws shy of attaining the NBA league minimum number of makes in this category. By mid-season, he was touted as a possibility for making the All-Star reserve team. Even after Ford returned from injury for the final third of the campaign, Calderón was able to keep his place in the starting lineup. Ford had initially agreed to playing backup, but reportedly became frustrated at not being able to start. Calderón eventually asked the coaching staff to play Ford as starter instead, leading to widespread praise from the coaching staff, teammates, and fans. Given that he was going to become a free agent by the end of the campaign, there were even calls for Ford to be traded so that the team could be built around Calderón as point guard. By the end of the regular season, Calderón was fifth in the league for assists per game, and in the 2008 NBA Playoffs
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
, Ford split the playing time with him about equally, with the two players combining for averages of 23.4 points and 13.6 assists per game. However, the Raptors were eliminated by the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the first round four games to one.
2008–09 season
On 9 July 2008, Calderón re-signed with the Raptors to a multi-year deal, reported to be worth $7.5 million to $8.5 million a season. With the departure of Ford to the Indiana PacersIndiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, the Spaniard was slated to start the point guard position for the Raptors. At the same time, new acquisition Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
formed the frontcourt with Bosh. However, 17 games into the season, Toronto fired head coach Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
and the line-ups were constantly shuffled. By the end of 2008, the Raptors were 12–20, but with Calderón out for almost a month thereafter, the team slipped to 16–28. When Calderón returned to the Raptors lineup, he helped snap a seven-game losing streak with a 114–94 victory over Chicago, recording 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 10 assists. Not long after, he set the second-longest streak in NBA history for consecutive free throws made (87). On 13 March 2009, Calderón surpassed Alvin Williams
Alvin Williams
Alvin Leon Williams is a retired American professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association, and current Director of Player Development of the Toronto Raptors.-Basketball career:...
' franchise record for career assists with 1795. On 29 March 2009, in a game against Chicago, he tied the franchise record for most assists in game with 19, and not long after, set an NBA record for highest free-throw percentage in a season. These records, however, were overshadowed by the Raptors rapidly falling out of the playoffs picture soon after the All-Star break, and the criticism Calderón faced for being unable to defend and play an up-tempo game. Toronto eventually finished with a 33–49 record, with the Spaniard leading the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
in assists per game and the league in free throw percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio.
2009–10 season
The Raptors underwent a significant roster overhaul in the preseason, such as bringing Jarrett JackJarrett Jack
Jarrett Matthew Jack is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA. At 6' 3" tall and weighing 197 lbs , he primarily plays at the guard position...
from Indiana to play as Calderón's back-up and point forward
Point forward
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.A point forward is usually described as a forward who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's...
Hedo Türkoğlu to share in ball-handling duties. With a third of the season gone, the Spaniard picked up an injury that put him out for 12 games, resulting in Jack holding on to the starting spot even upon the former's return, paralleling the Ford-Calderón scenario in 2007–08. Still, the pair combined well and helped bring the Raptors to a 21–20 record at the mid-season mark.
Spanish national team
Calderón has enjoyed a successful international career. When he played for Spain's national youth team, he won the gold medal at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
, as well as the bronze medal at the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Men 'Under22 and Under, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1992. Until 2004 it was held biannually, but from 2004 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Spain.Since 2005, a second level...
. As his career advanced, the point guard began appearing for the Spanish national senior team
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
. Calderón was part of the Spanish national team which finished fifth at the 2002 World Championships
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
and second at the 2003 European Championships
Eurobasket 2003
-5th to 8th place:-Awards:-All-Tournament Team : Tony Parker Šarūnas Jasikevičius Saulius Štombergas Andrei Kirilenko Pau Gasol-Top scorers :# Pau Gasol 25.8# Andrei Kirilenko 23.1# Dirk Nowitzki 22.5# Mehmet Okur 18.7...
. He was later named the team captain during the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
, and on 3 September 2006, Calderón and his Spanish squad defeated Greece
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, and won the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
along with future Raptors teammate, Jorge Garbajosa
Jorge Garbajosa
Jorge Garbajosa Chaparro, Jr., nicknamed "Garbo" , is a Spanish professional basketball player. At 2.07 m , he plays both power forward and small forward.-Pro career:*1994-97 Taugres*1997-00 TAU Cerámica...
. In EuroBasket 2007
Eurobasket 2007
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, Calderón and Garbajosa again featured for the Spanish team. In the knockout stages, Calderón recorded a game-high 17 points as Spain defeated Germany
Germany national basketball team
The German national basketball team for men is the basketball side that represents Germany in international competitions. Their biggest successes are the victory in the European Championship of 1993 at home in Germany, the silver medal in the 2005 European Championships and the bronze medal in the...
83–55 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Calderón scored 18 points in Spain's defeat of Greece
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
. The Spaniard led his team in points again in the final, but Spain lost 60–59 to Russia
Russia national basketball team
The Russian national basketball team represents Russia in international basketball matches. The team came into existence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its powerful basketball team. It has won 2 silver medals in the FIBA World Championships...
. In the 2008 Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
, Calderón was part of the squad that won the silver medal, but was injured and therefore could not play in the semifinal and the final game. He averaged 7.3 points per game in the tournament.
Player profile
A pure point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, Calderón is known for being a pass-first, low-turnover playmaker. Offensively, he is a capable shooter, with consistent range up to the 3-point line. He is also one of the best free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
shooters in the NBA, having set an NBA record for free throw shooting (98.1%) in 2008–09.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 64 || 11 || 23.2 || .423 || .163 || .848 || 2.2 || 4.5 || .7 || .1 || 5.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Toronto
| 77 || 11 || 21.0 || .521 || .333 || .818 || 1.7 || 5.0 || .8 || .1 || 8.7
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 82 || 56 || 30.3 || .519 || .429 || .908 || 2.9 || 8.3|| 1.1 || .1 || 11.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 68 || 34.3 || .497 || .406 || .981 || 2.9 || 8.9 || 1.1 || .1 || 12.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 39 || 26.7 || .482 || .398 || .798 || 2.1 || 5.9 || .7 || .1 || 10.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Toronto
| 68 || 55 || 30.9 || .440 || .365 || .854 || 3.0 || 8.9 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 427 || 240 || 27.7 || .486 || .383 || .874 || 2.5 || 7.0 || .9 || .1 || 9.8
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2006–07
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 6 || 1 || 24.3 || .507 || .250 || .833 || 1.7 || 5.3 || .8 || .0 || 13.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Toronto
| 5 || 0 || 24.0 || .440 || .476 || 1.000 || 3.6 || 7.0 || .2 || .0 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 11 || 1 || 24.1 || .479 || .394 || .909 || 2.5 || 6.1 || .6 || .0 || 12.5
Off the court
On 2 March 2007, the Raptors announced that Calderón was named as a Right To Play Athlete Ambassador. Right To Play is an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. As part of the program, Calderón pledged $1000 for every assist he recorded in a home game against the Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
on 26 November 2007. He ended the game with 14 assists.
Calderon is a co-owner of an organic pig farm.
He is married to Ana Hurtado. The couple welcomed their first child, a boy named Manuel, in Villanueva de la Serena
Villanueva de la Serena
Villanueva de la Serena is a city in Badajoz Province, Extremadura, Spain. It has a population of 26,111 and forms part of a larger urban area with the neighbouring town of Don Benito....
on May 23, 2010.