Eduardo Najera Mexico City NBA games, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico City): Eduardo Najera assembled a team of NBA players for a charity all-star game in his hometown of Chihuahua in the summer of 2005. The event was meant to give young fans who could not afford to travel to an NBA game a taste of the league at home.
Najera, known in Mexico as the country’s Michael Jordan, invited Nuggets teammates and Denver connections to the inaugural exhibition. Slam dunk contest champion Jason Richardson was the headliner, and Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin and JR Smith later joined.
Najera went on to organize similar exhibitions across Mexico featuring stars such as Kevin Love, DeAndre Jordan and DeMar DeRozan.
At the time, only one regular-season NBA game had been played in Mexico, and preseason games offered no guarantee that teams would use their starters. Najera said that growing up in Chihuahua, his family watched games on a large satellite dish that had to be turned by hand.
He said fans today have far easier access and that younger generations are more excited about the sport.
The Nuggets were in Mexico City this weekend to face the Indiana Pacers. The game is the 15th regular-season contest played in the city since 2015.
Najera, the first and only Mexican-born player drafted by the NBA until this year, said he was proud to see one of his former teams return for a second consecutive year, following a Mavericks visit in 2025.
Najera now lives in Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s east coast and works as an ambassador to Mexico for the Mavericks. In a 12-year playing career, he appeared in more games for Denver (243) than for any other team.
He said he identifies strongly with the Nuggets and often sees jerseys bearing his name and number 21 across the country.
Najera played a hard-nosed role during the Carmelo Anthony era, contributing to four playoff teams from 2005 to 2008. Camby once called him the king of Mexico, and Najera said he is not fully comfortable with the label out of respect for earlier generations of Mexican players who never reached NBA audiences.
He named rookie Karim Lopez, drafted 16th by Memphis this year, as the next great hope, praising his talent, size and competitive fire.
Najera grew up playing basketball on a worn neighborhood court with no net. He initially intended to pursue baseball like his father, but a high school coach told him he was too tall for the team and suggested basketball.
He said that by 17 he was dominating competition in the country. He later moved to San Antonio as an exchange student, which drew the attention of NCAA coaches and helped him develop into a professional-ready player.
Najera said he believes other Mexican players before him had more talent but fewer opportunities, noting that many could not leave Mexico to develop in the United States. He was drafted 38th overall in 2000 and spent four years in Dallas and half a season with Golden State before the Nuggets acquired him in 2005.
Najera said Chihuahua resembles Denver, with mountains surrounding it and an altitude of about a mile. He added that his profile in Mexico rose sharply once he played alongside popular names such as Anthony and Allen Iverson.
He recalled the brawl between the Nuggets and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, after which Anthony was suspended for 15 games, and said Denver’s trade for Iverson a few days later helped steady the season.
Najera also recalled Iverson urging his teammates during a late-season game when Denver trailed by almost 20 in the first half, saying the team was better than that. The Nuggets rallied to win and reached the playoffs, though they lost in the first round during Najera’s four years in Denver, finishing with a cumulative 3-16 playoff record.
He left in free agency in 2008 to sign with the Nets and said he rooted for Denver’s 2009 Western Conference Finals team.
Denver’s visit comes amid an NBA expansion process in which Mexico City has been mentioned as a possible market. Las Vegas and Seattle are considered the leading contenders for the 31st and 32nd teams, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who reported that commissioner Adam Silver reintroduced Mexico City at a September board of governors meeting.
Najera said he has long advocated for a Mexican franchise and believes the country is ready for one.
Najera expects Mexico to continue hosting regular-season games against visiting teams. He said he sees growing opportunities for young players in the sport and views the trend as a positive development for boys and girls.
