Who is Facundo Campazzo? The Argentine ‘magician’ of the NBA

Who is Facundo Campazzo?

Facundo Campazzo or "Facu" is a 30-year-old Argentine basketball player who this season is a rookie in the NBA's Denver Nuggets. He made his debut in the Argentine National League in the 2009/2010 season for the Peñarol de la Plata team.

The official website of the Argentine Basketball Confederation describes these early years as follows: "In five seasons, he was a central part of one of the greatest domestic basketball dynasties, winning many titles, including the first three-time championship in history."

Facu, in addition to triumphing with Peñarol, won important individual titles. In 2010, he was named the LNB Revelation and LNB Most Valuable Player. He was also the MVP of the Argentine finals in 2012 and 2014.

Long stay with Real Madrid (2014-2020)

In 2014, Facu signed a 3-year contract with one of the best teams in European basketball, Real Madrid. That same year he would be champion of the ACB League (the most important in Spain) and of the Euroleague. After repeating this double victory in 2018, Madrid would extend their contract for 3 more years.

With one more ACB victory in 2019, Facu would establish himself as one of the best players in Europe.

But playing in the NBA was still on his list.

Denver Nuggets (2020-present)

7 years after being ignored in his first draft in 2013, Facu would be signed by the Denver Nuggets to play in the 2020-2021 season.

Since then, he has been an important piece for one of the best teams in the league, especially now that their main point guard Jamal Murray is injured.

But how does it play? Facu is a traditional guard, whose main weapon is his great ability to pass, but which stands out mainly for his impeccable defense. Despite not being the tallest, he is always on the move, and with his pressure he has managed to seal even the best point guards in the league.

Also read: Opinion: The Lakers have nothing to do without Lebron James

Right now Facu is averaging 5.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, as well as 1.1 steals. Although they are not the best numbers, his experience and defensive skills make him invaluable to his team.

“He plays hard and has great defense […] He plays hard every minute he's on the court and usually makes the right play every time. He has been the team leader since he came off the bench, ” said team coach Mike Malone of Facu in an interview.