Charlie Villanueva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Charlie Villanueva

Villanueva with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015
Personal information
Born	(1984-08-24) August 24, 1984 (age 40) Queens, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American / Dominican
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
College	UConn (2003–2005)
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Toronto Raptors
Pro career	2005–2016
Career history
2005–2006	Toronto Raptors
2006–2009	Milwaukee Bucks
2009–2014	Detroit Pistons
2014–2016	Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2006) NCAA champion (2004) Second-team All-Big East (2005) Big East All-Rookie Team (2004) McDonald's All-American (2003)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Dominican Republic FIBA AmeriCup Bronze 2011 Mar del Plata Centrobasket Silver 2010 Santo Domingo Representing the  United States FIBA Americas U20 Championship Gold 2004 Halifax

Charlie Alexander Villanueva Mejia (born August 24, 1984) is a former professional basketball player. He played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). These teams included the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Dallas Mavericks.

Charlie was born in Queens, New York, and his parents came from the Dominican Republic. He was chosen as the seventh overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors when he was 20 years old. He also has citizenship in the Dominican Republic. He has played for the Dominican Republic national team in international games.

About Charlie Villanueva

Charlie has a special skin condition called alopecia universalis. This condition causes hair loss all over the body. He is a spokesperson for the NAAF (National Alopecia Areata Foundation). This group helps people with alopecia. In February 2006, the NBA gave him the Community Assist Award. This award recognized his important work with the foundation.

Charlie is a first-generation Dominican-American. This means his parents were immigrants from the Dominican Republic. He speaks Spanish very well, as it is the language he uses with his family.

He has three brothers, all named Roberto, or "Rob." Their names are Rob Antonio, Rob Elia, and Rob Carlos. In 2015, Charlie announced he was working with two of his brothers on a film. The film is called "What is Alopecia." It aims to teach people about alopecia and support those who have it.

Charlie has two children from his first marriage. He got married a second time on July 24, 2021, in Dallas, Texas. He proposed to Lala Alvarez on New Year's Eve 2020.

High School Basketball

Charlie started his high school basketball career at Newtown High School in Queens, New York. There, he played with Smush Parker, who also became an NBA player. For his last three years, he went to Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. At Blair Academy, he played alongside Luol Deng, another future NBA player.

When he was a senior, Charlie earned All-American honors. He was also named New Jersey Co-Player of the Year. After high school, he thought about joining the NBA draft in 2003. However, he decided to play college basketball first at the University of Connecticut.

Experts considered Charlie a top player. Rivals.com ranked him as the second-best power forward in the nation in 2003. He was also the fifth-best player overall.

College Basketball

Charlie first planned to play for the University of Illinois. But his coach, Bill Self, left Illinois for the University of Kansas. Charlie then changed his mind. He thought about following Coach Self to Kansas. Instead, he chose to play for the University of Connecticut.

In his first year at UConn, Charlie was a key player. He helped his team win the 2004 NCAA National Championship. He also earned a spot on the Big East All-Rookie Team. In his second year, he was even better. He scored about 13.6 points and grabbed 8.3 rebounds per game. He led the team in scoring and was named the team's MVP. He also made the second-team All-Big East. After his second year, Charlie decided to enter the 2005 NBA draft. This meant he gave up his last two years of college eligibility.

Professional Basketball Career

Toronto Raptors (2005–2006)

The Toronto Raptors picked Charlie as the seventh player overall in the 2005 NBA draft. Many people weren't sure about this choice at first. But Charlie proved them wrong with a strong first season. He played in 81 games, averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds. He was second among all rookies in points and rebounds. He was also third in playing time and blocked shots. Charlie had 12 games where he scored double-digits in two different stats. He also set new records for Raptors rookies. He scored 48 points in one game and grabbed 18 rebounds in another. He also played in the Rookie Challenge game and was named to the All-NBA Rookie first team.

Milwaukee Bucks (2006–2009)

On June 30, 2006, Charlie was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Raptors received T. J. Ford in return. On April 9, 2008, Charlie scored his season-high of 38 points. He also made a career-high seven 3-point shots in a game against his old team, the Raptors.

In March 2009, Charlie had a great season. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. On March 3, 2009, he scored 24 points and got 15 rebounds in a game against the New Jersey Nets.

Detroit Pistons (2009–2014)

Villanueva with the Pistons in 2009

On July 8, 2009, Charlie signed a five-year contract with the Detroit Pistons. This contract was worth $40 million. The season before, he had scored a career-high 16.7 points per game with Milwaukee. Joe Dumars, the Pistons' President of Basketball Operations, said Charlie was a "versatile big man." He could play close to the basket and also shoot from farther away. Charlie and another new Pistons player, Ben Gordon, were seen as important additions to the team.

Dallas Mavericks (2014–2016)

On September 23, 2014, Charlie signed with the Dallas Mavericks. On February 9, 2015, he scored a season-high 26 points in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

On August 6, 2015, Charlie signed another one-year deal to stay with the Mavericks.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

National Team Career

Charlie's parents came from the Dominican Republic. He grew up in Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Early in his career, he played for the United States youth teams. But in 2009, he decided to represent the Dominican Republic. He played for the Dominican Republic national basketball team in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship.

Images for kids

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  Villanueva with the Detroit Pistons in 2009

See also

In Spanish: Charlie Villanueva para niños