July 25, 2006

TORONTO (CP) -- Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo once again looked overseas to bolster his roster, signing Spanish forward Jorge Garbajosa to a multi-year deal Monday.

Garbajosa will add inside toughness and leadership to the Raptors (Getty Images)

The six-foot-nine, 245-pound forward, who reportedly signed a three-year deal worth just under $12 million US, played the past two seasons with Unicaja Malaga in Spain, leading the team to the 2005-06 Spanish championship and Spanish National Cup. He averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds a night, to put him in the top 15 in the Euroleague.

After 11 seasons playing in Europe, the 28-year-old said the time was right to make the jump to the NBA.

``It's an important moment for me,'' Garbajosa said in a conference call from Spain. ``I have played a lot of years here in Europe, and the Toronto Raptors gave me the opportunity to try to play in the best league in the world. I like the city, I like the team, I like everything else, so I want to be part of it.''

The signing adds to the already European feel to the team. Colangelo selected Italian Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, then signed Anthony Parker, an American who had played the last six seasons in Israel with Maccabi Tel-Aviv. He acquired Slovenian centre Rasho Nesterovic in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs, and hired former Benetton Treviso GM Maurizio Gherardini as his assistant GM and vice-president.

Toronto's roster also includes Spanish guard Jose Calderon.

``I think it's great because to have European players in the league makes everything a little bit easier,'' said Garbajosa. ``I know Bargnani, I know Calderon. . . so for me it makes everything easier to be in.''

He also knows Gherardini, who was with Benetton Treviso when the big Spaniard played there from 2000 to 2004, and has a fan in the new Raptors assistant GM.

``One of the qualities of Jorge ... has always been the fact he's always been a true leader on his team,'' Gherardini told reporters Monday. ``He's probably the key player on the Spanish national team, he's a quiet leader, a leader by example.''

Garbajosa also adds toughness and penchant for rebounding that the Raptors have been sorely lacking.

``He's a guy who's not afraid of fighting anybody,'' said Gherardini. ``He's got the size to go against guys in the paint without being afraid of anybody.''

Garbajosa, a veteran of two Olympics and one world championship appearance, is with the Spanish team as they prepare for the world championships in Japan. But he's keen to begin the adjustment to NBA basketball.

``I know the league from what I read in the papers or watch on TV, but I don't know the league inside, so I want to try to get into the league as soon as possible, try to feel comfortable there as soon as possible, and then try to play hard and support the team, and try to make the coach believe in me,'' said Garbajosa.

Garbajosa earned numerous honours playing in Europe, including 2005 and 2006 Spanish Cup final MVP, 2003 Eurobasket.com player of the year. He led his teams to two Spanish national Cups, a Spanish national championship, two Italian national Cups, two Italian national championships, two Italian Supercups, and a Spanish junior championship.