José Calderón (basketball)

1.1. Early life and upbringing

José Manuel Calderón Borrallo was born on September 28, 1981, in Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. His passion for basketball was significantly influenced by his father, who played for his hometown team, Doncel La Serena. Calderón's talent was recognized early, leading to an offer to play professional basketball after he won a junior team championship.

1.2. Spanish League career

Calderón began his professional career with Diputación Foral Alava in 1998. In 1999, he joined Lucentum Alicante in the Spanish Second Division, where he helped the team achieve promotion to the Spanish First Division. Although the team later returned to the second division due to intense competition, this period was crucial for Calderón's adaptation and improvement. In 2001, Calderón moved to Fuenlabrada, another ACB team. During the 2001-02 season, he averaged 9.7 points and 1.7 assists in 18.6 minutes per game, with an 83.2% free throw shooting percentage. By the end of this season, he earned his first call-up to the Spain national team.

1.3. TAU Cerámica (Saski Baskonia)

In 2002, Calderón signed with TAU Vitoria, also known as TAU Cerámica, where he played for three successful seasons. His time with the team saw significant individual growth and collective achievements. In his first season, 2002-03, he averaged 7.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in the EuroLeague. The team won the Spanish Basketball King's Cup and were runners-up in both the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.

In the 2003-04 EuroLeague season, Calderón averaged 7.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. His playing time increased significantly, and he continued to develop his all-around game. The 2004-05 season was particularly strong for Calderón, as he averaged 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals in the EuroLeague, with a field goal percentage of 49.4% and a three-point percentage of 42.1%. His contributions helped TAU Cerámica reach the EuroLeague Final Four, where they finished as runners-up.

2.1. Toronto Raptors (2005-2013)

Calderón entered the NBA after being persuaded by former Raptors GM Rob Babcock to sign with the Toronto Raptors on August 3, 2005. Known for his playmaking abilities, he faced initial challenges with his shooting during his rookie year.

2.1.2. 2006-07 season

During the 2006-07 season, Calderón primarily served as a backup to T. J. Ford, delivering consistent performances from the bench. His strong play was recognized by coach Sam Mitchell and teammates as crucial to the Raptors' successful push for a playoff spot and their Atlantic Division title. He concluded the regular season with improved averages of 8.8 points and 5.1 assists per game, shooting 52.5% from the field, despite seeing less playing time than in his rookie season. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, Calderón participated in all six games against the New Jersey Nets, averaging 13.0 points and 5.3 assists per game, though the Raptors were defeated 4-2.

2.1.4. 2008-09 season

On July 9, 2008, Calderón re-signed with the Raptors on a multi-year deal reportedly worth between 7.50 M USD and 8.50 M USD per season. With Ford's departure to the Indiana Pacers, Calderón became the undisputed starting point guard. The team also acquired Jermaine O'Neal to pair with Chris Bosh in the frontcourt. However, after 17 games, head coach Sam Mitchell was fired, leading to constant lineup changes. By the end of 2008, the Raptors held a 12-20 record, which further declined to 16-28 while Calderón was out for nearly a month due to injury. Upon his return, he helped end a seven-game losing streak with a 114-94 victory over Chicago, contributing 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 10 assists. He soon achieved the second-longest streak in NBA history for consecutive free throws made, with 87. On March 13, 2009, Calderón surpassed Alvin Williams' franchise record for career assists, reaching 1,795. On March 29, 2009, he tied the franchise record for most assists in a single game with 19 against Chicago. Not long after, he set an NBA record for the highest free-throw percentage in a season, achieving 98.1% (151 of 154 attempts). Despite these individual achievements, the Raptors quickly fell out of playoff contention after the All-Star break, and Calderón faced criticism for his defensive limitations and perceived inability to play an up-tempo style. Toronto finished the season with a 33-49 record. Calderón led the Eastern Conference in assists per game and the entire league in both free throw percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio.

2.2. Detroit Pistons (2013)

On January 30, 2013, Calderón was traded to the Detroit Pistons as part of a three-team trade. This deal sent Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye, and Ed Davis to the Memphis Grizzlies, while Rudy Gay and Hamed Haddadi went to Toronto. Calderón immediately became the starting point guard for the Pistons. In only his fourth game with the team, he recorded 23 points and 10 assists in a 105-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished the season averaging 11.3 points and 7.1 assists per game. He also led the league in three-point shooting percentage (.461) and was second in assists per turnover (4.1).

2.3. Dallas Mavericks (2013-2014)

On July 11, 2013, Calderón signed a four-year, 28.00 M USD contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He took on the role of the team's primary point guard, starting in 81 games during the season. His most notable performance came on December 20, 2013, against his former team, the Toronto Raptors, where he registered 23 points and 9 assists. Calderón concluded the season averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 assists per game.

2.4. New York Knicks (2014-2016)

On June 25, 2014, Calderón was traded to the New York Knicks along with Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, Samuel Dalembert, and two 2014 second-round draft picks, in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton. This move reunited him with former Raptors teammate Andrea Bargnani. A preseason injury kept Calderón sidelined for the first 13 games of the season. He made his Knicks debut on November 22, 2014, contributing 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in a 91-83 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. On March 23, 2015, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing a procedure for a strained left Achilles tendon. On March 13, 2016, Calderón hit a game-winning three-point shot with 0.2 seconds left to secure a 90-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

2.5. Los Angeles Lakers (2016-2017)

On June 22, 2016, Calderón was part of a trade that sent him, Jerian Grant, and Robin Lopez to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, and a 2017 second-round draft pick. Just over two weeks later, on July 7, he was traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers with two future second-round picks in exchange for the rights to Ater Majok. On December 5, 2016, he was sidelined for two to four weeks due to a right hamstring strain. The Lakers eventually waived him on February 27, 2017.

Following his waiver by the Lakers, Calderón was initially expected to join the Golden State Warriors. However, after Kevin Durant suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury, the Warriors decided they needed a forward rather than a point guard to fill Durant's role. Despite this change, the Warriors honored their agreement with Calderón, signing him on March 1, 2017, and then waiving him later the same day. For his brief two-hour tenure with the team, the Warriors agreed to pay Calderón the 415.00 K USD he would have earned for the rest of the season.

2.6. Atlanta Hawks (2017)

On March 4, 2017, Calderón was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Hawks. He played a short period with the team before the end of the season.

2.7. Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-2018)

On July 10, 2017, Calderón signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played a role in the team's rotation, and on April 3, 2018, he scored a season-high 19 points, along with 4 assists and 4 rebounds, in a 112-106 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Cavaliers advanced to the 2018 NBA Finals that season, where they were defeated 4-0 by the Golden State Warriors.

2.8. Detroit Pistons (2018-2019)

On July 7, 2018, Calderón signed with the Detroit Pistons for his final season as a professional player.

3.1. Youth and early senior career

Calderón's international career began with Spain's national youth teams, where he achieved significant success. He won a gold medal at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, and a bronze medal at the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. In 2001, he participated in the FIBA Under-21 World Championship held in Japan, where Spain finished in fifth place.

He was first called up to the senior Spain national team in 2002, competing in the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, where his team placed fifth. The following year, in EuroBasket 2003, Spain, with Calderón, secured a silver medal. His leadership qualities were recognized early, as he was named team captain during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

3.2. Major international achievements

Calderón was a key member of Spain's "Golden Generation" of basketball players, which included talents like Pau Gasol, Jorge Garbajosa, and Juan Carlos Navarro. This era of Spanish basketball culminated in a series of major international triumphs. On September 3, 2006, Calderón and the Spanish squad defeated Greece to win the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, marking Spain's first-ever World Cup title. In the final, Calderón scored 17 points.

In EuroBasket 2007, Calderón again played a crucial role for Spain. In the knockout stages, he scored a game-high 17 points as Spain defeated Germany 83-55 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he contributed 18 points in Spain's victory over Greece. In the final, Spain narrowly lost to Russia 60-59, with Calderón leading his team in scoring. He was also selected for the All-EuroBasket Team in 2007.

Calderón was part of the Spanish squad that won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Despite an injury that prevented him from playing in the semifinal and final games, he averaged 7.3 points per game in the tournament. He went on to win another silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In EuroBasket 2011, Spain, with Calderón, won the gold medal. He also earned a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2013. Calderón was part of Spain's squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where Spain won a bronze medal, though he played sparingly.

3.3. Captaincy and retirement

Calderón served as captain of the Spanish national team during the 2004 Summer Olympics. Following the 2016 Summer Olympics, he announced his retirement from international play, concluding a distinguished career with the national team.

4.1. Playing style and skills

Calderón was primarily a point guard known for his reliable game management and high efficiency. His playing style was characterized by strong shooting percentages from both the field and three-point range. He maintained high standards in both field goal and three-point shooting. A notable aspect of his game was his exceptional assist-to-turnover ratio; in the 2007-08 season, he recorded an impressive 8.1 assists against only 1.5 turnovers, yielding a ratio of 5.4. He was often referred to as "Mr. Freethrows" due to his remarkable accuracy from the free-throw line. After making a three-point shot, he would often perform a popular celebration by forming an "O" shape with his fingers. Calderón measured 75 in ^{(191 cm)} tall and weighed 209 lb ^{(95 kg)}, with a wingspan of 78 in ^{(198 cm)}.

4.2. Notable records and achievements

Calderón holds the NBA record for the highest free throw percentage in a single season, achieving 98.1% during the 2008-09 season by making 151 out of 154 attempts. He consistently demonstrated high-level performance metrics throughout his career. In the 2007-08 season, he nearly qualified for the exclusive NBA's 50-40-90 Club, shooting over 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line, but fell short of the minimum free throws made to officially qualify.

4.3. Criticisms and assessments

Despite his offensive prowess and efficiency, Calderón faced some criticisms, particularly regarding his defensive capabilities and his adaptability to faster-paced, up-tempo offensive systems.

5.1. National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)

On November 4, 2019, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced that Calderón had joined their staff as a special assistant to the executive director for the 2019-20 NBA season. This role involved him in player advocacy and other organizational duties.

5.2. Cleveland Cavaliers advisor

On January 14, 2022, Calderón was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a special advisor to the front office. In this capacity, he contributes his extensive basketball knowledge and experience to the team's management and strategic planning.

6.1. Family and upbringing

José Manuel Calderón was born and raised in Villanueva de la Serena, a town in the province of Badajoz, Spain. He is married to Ana Hurtado. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Manuel, in Villanueva de la Serena on May 23, 2010.

6.2. Humanitarian work and other interests

On March 2, 2007, the Toronto Raptors announced Calderón's appointment as a Right To Play Athlete Ambassador. Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization driven by athletes, which utilizes sport and play as tools for the development of children and youth in disadvantaged regions worldwide. As part of his ambassadorship, Calderón pledged 1.00 K USD for every assist he recorded in a home game against the Chicago Bulls on November 26, 2007. He finished that game with 14 assists, demonstrating his commitment to the cause. Outside of basketball, Calderón is also a co-owner of an organic pig farm.

7.1. NBA regular season

7.2. NBA playoffs

7.3. EuroLeague