Why Vlatko Cancar wants to play his entire career with the Nuggets

Vlatko Cancar wants to stay in Denver for the rest of his career. He wants to be a Nugget for life.

Cancar discussed his desire to play his entire NBA career with the Nuggets on the DNVR Nuggets Podcast.

“Yes. I’ve always said that,” said Cancar about staying with the Nuggets for the rest of his career. “And if I didn’t want to stay here, I probably would have left already because of what I have been through for my four years. Most of the guys would be done after a year.”

Cancar, now 25-years-old, came to Denver from Slovenia as an unknown second-round pick in the summer of 2019. His Nuggets tenure actually got off on the wrong foot. When he first got to town, Cancar was accidentally given the keys to a two-bedroom apartment that was meant for another teammate, Bol Bol. He was living out of a suitcase for a while. It wasn’t the easiest start for an international player making his home in a new country.

Cancar played several positions with the Nuggets and fit into several weight classes over the last few seasons. He famously bulked up during the 2020 NBA bubble restart in Orlando with the thought that he could be in line for some minutes at backup center. That legendary photo of him — you know the one from the bubble — was not photoshopped, Cancar confirmed. He then dropped weight over the last two seasons as he transitioned back into more of a perimeter role.

Cancar has shuffled in and out of the Nuggets lineup throughout his entire career. He’s filled in at multiple positions and played every role imaginable. He’s “stayed ready” every day for the last three years before getting a legitimate shot at a full-time rotation spot this season.

Cancar hopes to stay in Denver because he wants to give as much as he can to the franchise and organization that first took a chance on him. He has a goal to finish what he started here with the Nuggets. It’s why Cancar re-signed with Denver last summer for three years and nearly $7 million.

“I want to be in Denver because, first of all, I love it here. This is my first team, and I just want to be with the one team that drafted me, that believed in me,” said Cancar. “So I just want to give back to them with being positive, being a true professional, and when the opportunity comes, just play as best as I can.”

“Obviously there will be days with frustrations. ‘Man, I wish I could have played.’ Yes, everybody wishes they could play. Everybody knows they could play. But when you get your opportunity, just show them you can play and then you’re going to be OK with yourself.”

Cancar is a worker. He talked with DNVR about how he’s developed an addiction for working out and “feels sick” if he goes a day without hitting the gym. He’s also loyal to the Nuggets organization and his teammates. Denver is a city that suits him well too.

There’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

“People ask me, ‘Oh, you always stay ready for a game.’ Yes, because I don’t cheat the game,” Cancar told DNVR. “I come in, do my work. And after I come back home, I can be peaceful. I can go with my girlfriend to the park. I can go everywhere around Denver and feel at peace with myself.”