Anderson Varejão facts for kids
Varejão with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021
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| Cleveland Cavaliers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 28, 1982 Colatina, Brazil |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 30th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Orlando Magic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1998–2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Franca | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Barcelona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Flamengo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Cleveland Cavaliers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Anderson França Varejão (born September 28, 1982) is a famous Brazilian former professional basketball player. He spent most of his career, 13 seasons, with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After retiring, he became a Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador for the Cavaliers.
Anderson also played for teams in Brazil (Franca, Flamengo) and Spain (Barcelona). He was a key player for the Brazilian national team, winning a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2003.
Contents
Professional Career
Franca (1998–2002)
Anderson Varejão started his professional basketball journey in 1998. He played for Franca Basquetebol Clube in Brazil until 2002. During his time there, he showed great skill, averaging 17.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in his last season. This strong performance caught the eye of teams in Europe.
Barcelona (2002–2004)
In January 2002, Varejão moved to Spain to play for FC Barcelona Bàsquet. This team competes in the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.
In the 2002–03 season, Varejão helped Barcelona win their first-ever EuroLeague championship. He also contributed to the team winning the Liga ACB championship that year. The next season, 2003–04, Barcelona won the Spanish League championship again. Varejão played an important role in these victories.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2004–2016)
Early Years (2004–06)
Varejão was chosen by the Orlando Magic in the 2004 NBA draft. However, he was soon traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season, he played in 54 games, showing off his rebounding skills. He was known for getting many offensive rebounds, which are rebounds on his team's attacking end.
In the 2005–06 season, Varejão missed some games due to a shoulder injury. But when he returned, he helped the Cavaliers in their playoff run. He was especially good at drawing fouls from opponents. Fans even tried to break a world record by wearing wigs like his unique hairstyle during a game!
Playoff Upsets (2006–08)
During the 2006–07 season, Varejão played more minutes and became a key defensive player. He was known for taking many "charges," which is when a defensive player stands still and gets hit by an offensive player, causing a foul on the offense. He helped the Cavaliers reach the 2007 NBA Finals, but they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
In 2007, Varejão signed a new contract with the Cavaliers. He continued to improve, setting career highs in rebounds and assists. He was a strong presence on the court, especially when he started games.
All-Defensive Honors and Injuries (2008–13)
Varejão continued to grow as a player. In 2008, he scored a career-high 18 points, and later, in 2009, he scored an amazing 26 points in a game. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2010 for his excellent defense.
However, Varejão faced several injuries during these years. In the 2010–11 season, he tore a tendon in his foot, which ended his season early. The next season, he broke his wrist. Despite these setbacks, he kept showing his talent. In the 2012–13 season, he had an incredible game with 35 points and 18 rebounds. Sadly, he had to miss the rest of that season due to a blood clot in his lung.
Final Years in Cleveland (2013–16)
In the 2013–14 season, Varejão continued to battle injuries. He had a career-high 25 rebounds in one game, showing his amazing ability to grab the ball. In 2014, he signed a new contract with the Cavaliers. He was playing well, especially with teammate LeBron James.
But in December 2014, Varejão suffered a serious injury, tearing his Achilles tendon. This meant he missed the rest of the 2014–15 season. The Cavaliers made it to the 2015 NBA Finals but lost.
Varejão returned for the 2015–16 season. In February 2016, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, but they released him right away.
Golden State Warriors (2016–2017)
Soon after, Varejão signed with the Golden State Warriors. This was a very interesting move because the Warriors were one of the best teams in the league. They even set an NBA record with 73 wins that season.
The Warriors reached the 2016 NBA Finals and faced Varejão's former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. This made him the first player in NBA history to be on both teams in the same season! The Warriors lost to the Cavaliers in a close series. Varejão was offered a championship ring by the Cavaliers, but he politely declined it because he had played against them.
In 2017, the Warriors won the NBA Finals. This time, Varejão accepted a championship ring from the Warriors, celebrating their victory.
Flamengo (2018–2019)
In 2018, Varejão returned to Brazil to play for Flamengo Basketball. He played for them for two seasons.
Return to Cleveland (2021)
In May 2021, Varejão signed a short contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played a few games, showing his love for the team where he spent most of his career.
Retirement
After the 2020–21 season, Anderson Varejão announced that he was retiring from professional basketball.
Executive Career
On January 13, 2023, the Cleveland Cavaliers hired Varejão for a new role. He now works as a Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador for the team. This means he helps players improve and represents the Cavaliers around the world.
National Team Career
Varejão was a regular member of the senior Brazilian national team starting in 2001. He won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2003. He also played in many World Cup tournaments for Brazil. In 2006, during a game against Greece, he committed a strong foul on an opposing player.
Player Profile
Anderson Varejão earned the nickname "Wild Thing" because of his energetic playing style and his wild, curly hair. He was known for playing with a lot of passion and effort.
Sometimes, Varejão was criticized for "flopping." This is when a player exaggerates contact to try and make the referee call a foul on the other team. However, his longtime teammate LeBron James defended him, saying Varejão was simply taking real charges.
Personal Life
Anderson Varejão's older brother, Sandro, was also a professional basketball player. His niece, Izabel, played college basketball.
Varejão has been married twice. He married Marcelle Silva in 2013, and they were together until 2016. Since 2019, he has been married to Stacy Bradley. They have two children named Serenee and Sebastio.
Images for kids
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Varejão in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Anderson Varejão para niños
