Víctor Claver

Professional career

Víctor Claver started playing basketball with the youth teams at his school, Sagrado Corazón HH. Maristas de Valencia, in Spain.

He turned professional with Valencia in the 2006–07 season. His first taste of the EuroCup, Europe’s second-tier competition, came in 2007–08, and he helped Valencia win that title in 2009–10. The following season, he moved up to the top-tier EuroLeague, where he averaged 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds across 14 games.

Portland Trail Blazers (2012–2015)

Selected 22nd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2009 NBA draft, Claver didn’t sign with them until July 12, 2012, inking a three-year deal. His NBA journey included stints in the D-League: he was assigned to the Idaho Stampede on December 7, 2012, recalled two days later, then made his first NBA start on December 10, scoring 4 points with 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 25 minutes. He was sent back to Idaho on December 14 and recalled again on December 16. Over three seasons with Portland, he appeared in 80 games.

On February 19, 2015, the Trail Blazers traded Claver, along with Will Barton, Thomas Robinson, and a lottery-protected 2016 first-round pick, to the Denver Nuggets for Arron Afflalo and Alonzo Gee. Three days later, before ever playing for Denver, he was waived. He then signed with Russia’s BC Khimki on March 1, 2015, for the remainder of the season, but the two sides parted ways on July 17.

Attempt to return to Spain

In August 2015, Claver agreed to a deal with Baskonia, but Valencia exercised their right of first refusal to match the offer and keep his rights in Spain. Baskonia was unwilling to pay a buyout to Valencia, and Claver did not want to return to his old team. Reports indicated he was reluctant to play for a club that would compete in the EuroCup the following season, so he looked outside Spain. On September 2, 2015, he signed a one-year contract with Russian club Lokomotiv Kuban for the 2015–16 campaign.

FC Barcelona (2016–2021)

On July 20, 2016, Claver joined FC Barcelona Lassa on a three-year deal after Barcelona reached an agreement with Valencia for his rights. He extended his contract through 2022 on July 2, 2019, but left the club on July 12, 2021, after five years. The very next day, he signed a three-year contract with Valencia, returning to his hometown team. Claver announced his retirement from professional basketball on July 1, 2024.

National team career

Claver represented Spain in junior competitions, earning bronze at the 2006 Under-18 European Championship and again at the 2008 Under-20 European Championship. He later joined the senior Spanish national team, which collected gold at the 2009, 2011, and 2015 EuroBasket tournaments, plus a bronze in 2013. He also competed in the 2010 World Championship and the 2014 World Cup. At the Olympics, Spain took silver in 2012 and bronze in 2016.