ducks
08-27-2003, 11:13 AM
By Chris Bernucca SportsTicker Pro Basketball Editor
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Ticker) - The first thing you notice about Anderson Varejao is his 'do. Then you realize he can do much more to get your attention.
Whether letting it loose in a curly afro, controlling it with a headband or tying it down in braids interwoven with brightly colored bands as he wears it now, Varejao is hard to miss. At 6-10 with a sometimes goofy, cherubic smile and easygoing nature, the 20-year-old has become one of the darlings of the FIBA Tournament of the Americas.
Varejao's hairstyle brings to mind tennis star Serena Williams, who weaves beads within her braids. And while Varejao (vah-ray-ZHOW) is not yet at the top of his game, the braids afford him a different look, something he has been doing to opponents as well.
"I did it once when I was 18," Varejao said through an interpreter. "When the people in Brazil saw me do different things with my hair, they told me to do more things with my hair. It motivated me to do it, so I did it."
Varejao has been motivated in this tournament, trying to help Brazil earn a berth in the 2004 Olympics. The 230-pound face-up forward has been his team's most consistent and versatile player while providing one of the true highlights.
It came last week in Brazil's opener against the United States. Admittedly excited about facing the best players in the world, Varejao harnessed his boyish enthusiasm into positive energy.
After knocking down a pair of 3-pointers to spread the defense, he drove along the right baseline early in the second quarter. With Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal defending, Varejao soared for a flying one-handed hammer dunk over O'Neal, drawing a foul and a collective "Wow!" from the crowd at Roberto Clemente Coliseum.
"It was a very motivating game and you have to come out strong," he said. "It's not a moment for fear. I saw the chance and I took that chance, the same as I do against other (teams)."
Varejao has been extremely consistent throughout the tournament. Despite Allen Iverson's thunderstorm of 3-pointers Monday night, Varejao is still the highest-scoring player whose hair is in cornrows, averaging 15.6 points per game, fifth in the tourney.
Varejao also is shooting 57 percent (29-of-51) from the field and averaging 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. His play is a big reason Brazil has a chance to qualify for the semifinals this weekend.
"This has been a very important tournament for me," he said. "Brazil is playing well and it is a very good experience (for me). That gives me the opportunity to get more exposure so more people can notice me."
For the wrong reasons, many NBA scouts noticed Varejao earlier this year at the Eureleague Final Four. Initially projected as a mid-lottery pick, Varejao scored just one point in FC Barcelona's title win over Benetton Treviso.
That came after the former youth soccer player averaged just 4.1 points in 13.3 minutes in 22 Euroleague games. With a year remaining on his contract that required a $1 million buyout, NBA teams shied away from Varejao, who knew he had to improve and withdrew his name from the draft.
"I adapted very well to Barcelona with the players on the team and the people," he said. "I had the opportunity to wait one more year to get more experience and get stronger and have an opportunity to go to the draft."
Varejao's game still needs some work. He is not quick enough to play small forward, so he must develop some semblance of a low-post game and must get tougher on the interior on both ends, a shortcoming that is evident when Brazilian teammate Nene of the Denver Nuggets is not on the floor with him.
"If I could go now I would go, but I wanted to wait a little bit more to get stronger, to get better composure to my game," he said.
Varejao already has a believer in Team USA guard Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics, who pointed out that many foreign players are highly touted until they take the court and you can see the warts in their game. But having now seen Varejao, Allen is sold on him.
"We should see him in the NBA in a couple of years," Allen said.
As for Varejao, he plans to return to FC Barcelona for the final year of his contract. He intends to style his game and his hair in similar fashion, which is a smart approach.
"I'm going to continue doing different things," he said.
link (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/gen/wire?messageId=22423940)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Ticker) - The first thing you notice about Anderson Varejao is his 'do. Then you realize he can do much more to get your attention.
Whether letting it loose in a curly afro, controlling it with a headband or tying it down in braids interwoven with brightly colored bands as he wears it now, Varejao is hard to miss. At 6-10 with a sometimes goofy, cherubic smile and easygoing nature, the 20-year-old has become one of the darlings of the FIBA Tournament of the Americas.
Varejao's hairstyle brings to mind tennis star Serena Williams, who weaves beads within her braids. And while Varejao (vah-ray-ZHOW) is not yet at the top of his game, the braids afford him a different look, something he has been doing to opponents as well.
"I did it once when I was 18," Varejao said through an interpreter. "When the people in Brazil saw me do different things with my hair, they told me to do more things with my hair. It motivated me to do it, so I did it."
Varejao has been motivated in this tournament, trying to help Brazil earn a berth in the 2004 Olympics. The 230-pound face-up forward has been his team's most consistent and versatile player while providing one of the true highlights.
It came last week in Brazil's opener against the United States. Admittedly excited about facing the best players in the world, Varejao harnessed his boyish enthusiasm into positive energy.
After knocking down a pair of 3-pointers to spread the defense, he drove along the right baseline early in the second quarter. With Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal defending, Varejao soared for a flying one-handed hammer dunk over O'Neal, drawing a foul and a collective "Wow!" from the crowd at Roberto Clemente Coliseum.
"It was a very motivating game and you have to come out strong," he said. "It's not a moment for fear. I saw the chance and I took that chance, the same as I do against other (teams)."
Varejao has been extremely consistent throughout the tournament. Despite Allen Iverson's thunderstorm of 3-pointers Monday night, Varejao is still the highest-scoring player whose hair is in cornrows, averaging 15.6 points per game, fifth in the tourney.
Varejao also is shooting 57 percent (29-of-51) from the field and averaging 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. His play is a big reason Brazil has a chance to qualify for the semifinals this weekend.
"This has been a very important tournament for me," he said. "Brazil is playing well and it is a very good experience (for me). That gives me the opportunity to get more exposure so more people can notice me."
For the wrong reasons, many NBA scouts noticed Varejao earlier this year at the Eureleague Final Four. Initially projected as a mid-lottery pick, Varejao scored just one point in FC Barcelona's title win over Benetton Treviso.
That came after the former youth soccer player averaged just 4.1 points in 13.3 minutes in 22 Euroleague games. With a year remaining on his contract that required a $1 million buyout, NBA teams shied away from Varejao, who knew he had to improve and withdrew his name from the draft.
"I adapted very well to Barcelona with the players on the team and the people," he said. "I had the opportunity to wait one more year to get more experience and get stronger and have an opportunity to go to the draft."
Varejao's game still needs some work. He is not quick enough to play small forward, so he must develop some semblance of a low-post game and must get tougher on the interior on both ends, a shortcoming that is evident when Brazilian teammate Nene of the Denver Nuggets is not on the floor with him.
"If I could go now I would go, but I wanted to wait a little bit more to get stronger, to get better composure to my game," he said.
Varejao already has a believer in Team USA guard Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics, who pointed out that many foreign players are highly touted until they take the court and you can see the warts in their game. But having now seen Varejao, Allen is sold on him.
"We should see him in the NBA in a couple of years," Allen said.
As for Varejao, he plans to return to FC Barcelona for the final year of his contract. He intends to style his game and his hair in similar fashion, which is a smart approach.
"I'm going to continue doing different things," he said.
link (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/gen/wire?messageId=22423940)