Danilo Gallinari enjoyed a 14-year NBA career, but his time playing basketball isn’t over. And for the first time in his pro career, Gallinari won a championship. Gallinari was named league finals MVP as he led his Vaqueros de Bayamón to the 2025 title in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico.
Gallinari’s team won the series 4-1 over Leones de Ponce, clinching their record 17th title. The former Celtics forward put up 24 points in the decisive Game 5 victory. Gallinari last played in the NBA in the 2023-24 season as he signed with the Puerto Rican team back in January.
When Gallinari signed with the Celtics as a free agent back in July 2022, it was in hopes to compete for an NBA championship. The forward was expected to bring size and shooting to a team that was fresh off the 2022 NBA Finals berth. Unfortunately, Gallinari tore his ACL playing for Italy as part of the FIBA World Cup ahead of the season.
So, all Gallinari could do during the 2022-23 season was watch from the sideline after inking a two-year contract. There was hope that perhaps he could come back late in the year, but there wasn’t much serious momentum down the stretch of the season.
Eventually, Gallinari was included in the Celtics’ three-team trade with the Wizards and Grizzlies that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. It was an unceremonious end to Gallinari’s time with the Celtics as the injury limited the rest of his time in the league. Gallinari played for the Wizards, Pistons and Bucks for a combined 49 games during the 2023-24 season.
Gallinari enjoyed a lengthy NBA career after being drafted sixth overall in 2008 by the Knicks. He also played for the Nuggets, Clippers, Thunder, Hawks, Wizards, Pistons and Bucks throughout his NBA career. Gallinari never ended up playing in a game with the Celtics.
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