Facundo Campazzo still hoping for another chance in NBA

Facundo Campazzo wants to stay in the NBA.

After spending two seasons as a backup point guard in Denver, “Facu” is a free agent. Campazzo has said before he wants to stay in the NBA, and he echoed that speaking to the Argentinian newspaper “La Nacion,” as transcribed by EuroHoops.net.

“I want to stay in the NBA, I think I showed that I can compete when I’m good. When they give me confidence and I feel part of the rotation. In fact, in the playoffs the first year I was a starter, except for the last game. And in the regular season, I played a lot. But be careful, I’m not saying no to Real Madrid. What I am saying is that my attention and my energy are focused on the NBA. My first option is that. That is the message. I feel like an NBA player and I want to stay at that level. Because anything can happen, because it is uncertain, you improve, and you have every motivation to evolve. That’s kind of the way of thinking. Real Madrid is the biggest club in Europe and being part of that club, helped me to be in the NBA. But the reality is that I want to focus on staying in the United States.”

Campazzo was a respectable backup point guard for the Nuggets who averaged 5.1 points playing about 18 minutes a game last season, but his efficiency fell from his first year in the league. His minutes and role in Denver shrunk as last season wore on due to the emergence of Bones Hyland. With Jamal Murray returning to Denver, and their drafting of guard Peyton Watson late in the first round, there isn’t a spot for Campazzo in Denver.

Another team could jump in and bring him in as a reserve guard, but rosters are increasingly settled heading into training camps. Always looming for Campazzo is a return to Europe — he was a superstar with Real Madrid leading it to two EuroLeague titles and a trophy case of domestic titles in Spain — but his clear preference is to find a spot in the NBA.

Campazzo is waiting for that NBA call as training camps get closer.