Jorge Garbajosa presented the Toronto Raptors with a problem most professional sports teams don't typically encounter in their daily business.

The NBA franchise didn't want him to play in the European Championships this month because of a fracture fibula in his right leg dating to last March that Raptors medical officials are convinced requires additional surgery.

Garbajosa refused to have surgery and insisted playing for Spain, the defending world champions.

"Usually it's the opposite, where a player is being conservative with an injury," said Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo.