Nuggets make Xavier Silas' dream come true, will bring former CU Buff to training camp

Xavier Silas’ long and winding journey through professional basketball is bringing him back to where it all began.

Silas, who spent two seasons at the University of Colorado Boulder, before transferring to Northern Illinois and ultimately turning pro, has agreed to a training camp deal with the Nuggets, a league source confirmed to BSN Denver. Training camp begins Tuesday, Sep. 25 in San Diego.

“I’m just grateful to be here,” Silas told BSN Denver via text message. “Now my family doesn’t have to move and I can belong to a team in the same city where we own a house. It’s amazing. I love the team and I’ve been dreaming of playing for the Nuggets since I went to CU.”

Silas and the Nuggets’ agreement was first reported by ESPN.

The 30-year-old sharpshooter spent most of last season in the G League where he averaged 18.4 points on 43.7 percent shooting from the field and 38.0 percent from three for the Northern Arizona Suns. Silas signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics late last season, appeared in two games and tallied seven total minutes.

Silas also played in Ice Cube’s Big3 league in each of the past two seasons, winning the championship with Power earlier this summer. The 6-foot-5 guard previously played overseas in the Euro Cup, Germany’s top league the Bundesliga, and in Argentina. Silas also appeared in two games with the 76ers during the 2011-12 season.

The Nuggets are bringing 15 players on guaranteed contracts to training camp next week and an additional two players who are signed to two-way deals. There’s no roster spot available for Silas but he’s a fierce competitor and hard worker who will push players in a practice setting.

Silas makes his offseason home in Colorado and has played in pickup games this summer at Pepsi Center which featured many players currently on the Nuggets’ roster.

Denver has one more spot available on its training camp roster.