After suiting up for Spain over the last 15 summers, Juan Carlos Navarro has decided to take this summer off and won’t play at Eurobasket in September.
The 2011 Eurobasket MVP will not play in Slovenia as the 33-year-old struggled with a hamstring injury during Game 4 of the ACB finals against Real Madrid, where they lost 3-2.
He managed to play in that deciding game, but was clearly affected by the injury and thus has chosen to rest this summer.
“Most surely I will take a rest from the national team this summer,” an exhausted Navarro said following the Spanish league finals. “Now it’s too soon to think, it’s time to rest.
“As I’ve said before, it’s been a tough season for everyone [at FC Barcelona] and for me personally. I need to rest and recuperate well for next year.”
Since making his senior debut at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Navarro has been a mainstay with the Spanish national side. He has won two Eurobasket gold medals [2009, 2011], a gold at the 2006 world championships and silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
