Former NBA Role Player Danilo Gallinari Wins Finals MVP Overseas

Danilo Gallinari was last seen in the NBA playing for the Wizards, Pistons, and Bucks in the 2023/24 season, and after 14 years in the NBA, beginning with the Knicks back in 2008, many believed his basketball career was over. That, evidently, is not the case, as he headed overseas to Puerto Rico to continue his career beyond the NBA, and recently, it paid off in a huge way.

Recently, Gallinari, along with another former NBA star, JaVale McGee, competed in the Finals of the season in Puerto Rico with Vaqueros de Bayamón, coming out on top to claim his first-ever professional championship.

Not only that, but Gallinari was named Finals MVP after posting an impressive 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in the tournament Finals. Sure, this definitely isn't the caliber of competition that the NBA brings, as Gallinari averaged just 6 points in 13 minutes during his final season, but this simply goes to show how good NBA players are against competition beyond the world's top league.

While it's not likely to lead to an NBA return for Gallinari, the fact that he's able to still play at a high level and compete for championships is a great thing for the veteran, and it helps in growing the game worldwide. Ultimately, the competition in Puerto Rico is solid and continuing to grow, and although Gallinari dominated this season, there's some intriguing young talent emerging there. The spotlight of this Finals with two former NBA stars will only be a good thing as a result.