Vlatko Cancar’s Olympic experience was not dampened by missing out on a chance to prove himself against the finest basketball team in the world by a single basket.
Cancar, who is entering his third season with the Denver Nuggets, and Luka Doncic, the standout guard for the Dallas Mavericks, were the only two NBA players on Slovenia’s roster.
V. Cancar Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
After losing in the semifinals to eventual champion France by a score of 90-89, the Slovenians were eliminated in the bronze medal game to Australia. Cancar contributed 11 points and nine rebounds as France fell to the United States and their roster of NBA all-stars in the finals.
In the last game of his debut Olympic competition, he scored eight points and grabbed four boards. He scored 22 points to lead Slovenia to a victory over Spain in the group stage, and he scored 12 points to beat Facundo Campazzo, a colleague of his from the Denver Nuggets, in Slovenia’s first Olympic basketball game.
I enjoyed myself and learned a lot. That I was chosen to represent Slovenia was a privilege in and of itself. Most vividly in my mind is the moment during the opening ceremony when Naomi Osaka lighted the Olympic flame. Even today, I feel a shiver. Cancar remarked, “It’s amazing to be here at the Olympics.
We had a Great Summer, All Things Considered.
The good times should continue throughout the year. Cancar has yet to play more than seven minutes per game in the NBA, so he hasn’t had many opportunities to go up against the top players in the world.
In limited action last year, he averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 boards a contest. Cancar is prepared for that opportunity this season by returning to his NBA-entry weight and claiming to feel more nimble as a result. Thanks for reading our article V. Cancar Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
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