The Nuggets just can’t stop winning this offseason as former great, Danilo Gallinari was named Finals MVP after leading his team, Vaqueros de Bayamón to the Baloncesto Superior Nacional title. Gallo joined the team in January, and dominated the top-tier league of Puerto Rico en route to his first professional championship and Finals MVP.
MVP Danilo Gallinari 🤠🔥🏆#VaquerosBSN pic.twitter.com/r4BL2B6TDN
— Vaqueros de Bayamón (@VaquerosBSN) August 12, 2025
The 37-year-old Gallinari averaged 26.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game in the Finals, proving that while his NBA days may be over, he can certainly still play high-level professional basketball.
Gallinari an underappreciated Nugget
Danilo was drafted 6th overall by the Knicks in the 2008 draft after starring in the EuroLeague for several seasons. He struggled to find his footing and stay healthy in New York and was dealt to the Nuggets as the centerpiece of the Carmelo Anthony trade.
He was in Denver from 2011-2017 and had some of his best years with the Nuggets. He revitalized his career and became somewhat of a go-to option, helping the franchise build back up after the Carmelo era.
He averaged about 16 points and 5 rebounds during his six seasons with the Nuggets and was one of the main faces for some very fun and exciting teams. While they didn’t experience a ton of playoff success, they were an easy team to root for and made the fans proud in what ended up being a holdover period before drafting Nikola Jokic.
Other former Nuggets cash in with Gallo
To make Gallo’s moment even sweeter for Nuggets fans, two of his Vaqueros de Bayamón teammates were also former players in JaVale McGee and Renaldo Balkman. Ironically, Balkman was traded from the Knicks to the Nuggets after they had drafted Gallinari. He played a couple of seasons in Denver and had some nice moments, but lasted just six years in the NBA before heading overseas.
McGee was also acquired via trade by the Nuggets in 2012 from the Wizards. He played a solid role with the team and helped them make the playoffs in the 2012 season. He earned a nice four year extension, but was traded again in 2015.
It’s great to see the three former Nuggets reconnect years later in Puerto Rico and all be able to contribute to winning a title together. It’s a long time coming for Gallo, who has had a long, illustrious career. To now add a title and Finals MVP to his trophy case is a feel-good moment and one that all Nuggets fans should embrace.