Fab Melo facts for kids
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Melo playing with Syracuse in 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 20, 1990 Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Died | February 11, 2017 (aged 26) Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| High school | Sagemont (Weston, Florida) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Syracuse (2010–2012) |
| NBA Draft | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22nd overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Pro career | 2012–2017 |
| Career history | |
| 2012–2013 | Boston Celtics |
| 2012–2013 | →Maine Red Claws |
| 2014 | Texas Legends |
| 2015–2016 | Liga Sorocabana |
| 2016-2017 | Brasília |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Fabricio Paulino de Melo (born June 20, 1990 – died February 11, 2017) was a professional basketball player from Brazil. He played for one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Boston Celtics. After that, he went back to Brazil. There, he played for teams like Liga Sorocabana and Brasília.
Before joining the NBA in 2012, Fab Melo played college basketball for two years. He played for Syracuse. During his second year, he was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
Contents
Fab Melo's Basketball Journey
Early Life and College Basketball
Fab Melo moved to the United States in 2008. He went to Sagemont School in Weston, Florida. After finishing high school in 2010, Melo joined the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team. He played for two seasons under coach Jim Boeheim.
In 2012, his Syracuse team had a great season. They won 34 games and lost only 3. Melo played well, averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. He sometimes had trouble with his schoolwork. This was especially hard because English was new to him. Even with these challenges, Melo was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. This award recognized him as the best defensive player in his college conference.
In April 2012, Melo decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would leave college two years early to become a professional player.
Playing in the NBA
On June 28, 2012, the Boston Celtics picked Fab Melo in the NBA draft. He was the 22nd player chosen in the first round. A few days later, he signed his first contract with the Celtics.
Melo played six games for the Celtics during the 2012–13 season. However, he spent most of his time playing in the NBA Development League (now called the G-League). He played for the Maine Red Claws. On December 22, 2012, Melo had an amazing game. He got a "triple-double" with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 blocks. His 14 blocks set a new record for blocked shots in the NBA Development League.
At the end of that season, Melo received two important awards. He was named to the NBA D-League All-Defensive First Team. He also made the All-Rookie First Team.
In August 2013, Melo was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. But he was later released by the team. He then signed with the Dallas Mavericks in September 2013, but was released again in October. In January 2014, he joined the Texas Legends in the NBA Development League.
Back to Brazil
On August 1, 2014, Melo signed with a Brazilian team, Club Athletico Paulistano. However, he did not play in any games for them. He also briefly signed with a team in Puerto Rico in 2015 but left before playing.
In November 2015, Melo signed with Liga Sorocabana in Brazil. He played there for the rest of the 2015–16 season. In June 2016, he signed with Brasília. He played in a few games for Brasília before his final game on November 30, 2016.
A Sad Farewell
Fab Melo passed away on February 11, 2017. He was 26 years old. He was found at his home in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. Reports said he went to sleep and was found by his mother the next morning. An autopsy later showed that he had suffered a heart attack.
NBA Stats
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Boston | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .250 | .5 | .0 | .3 | .3 | 1.2 |
| Career | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .250 | .5 | .0 | .3 | .3 | 1.2 | |
See also
In Spanish: Fab Melo para niños
- List of basketball players who died during their careers
