Rafael Araújo (basketball)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 12, 1980 Curitiba, Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 275 lb (125 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Padre Anacleto (São Paulo, Brazil) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
| Selected by the Toronto Raptors | |
| Playing career | 2004–2014 |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 2004–2006 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2006–2007 | Utah Jazz |
| 2007–2008 | Spartak Saint Petersburg |
| 2009 | Flamengo |
| 2009–2010 | Paulistano |
| 2010–2011 | Flamengo |
| 2011–2012 | Franca |
| 2012–2014 | Mogi das Cruzes |
| 2014 | Pinheiros |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Rafael Paulo de Lara Araújo, nicknamed "Baby" and later "Bàbby" in Brazil, (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁafaˈɛɫ aɾaˈuʒu]; born August 12, 1980) is a Brazilian retired professional basketball player. He played for three years in the National Basketball Association.
After attending Padre Anacleto High School in São Paulo, Araújo went to the United States to play college basketball, attending Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona. In his freshman season (2000–01), he averaged 12.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Araújo later explained that AWC coach Kelly Green gave him $400 to get his visa and establish himself in Yuma, despite coaches being forbidden to do so. As a sophomore, he tallied 17.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, leading the Matadors to a 28-3 record and a top ten national ranking among junior colleges. He was named Region Most Valuable Player and 2nd Team NJCAA All-American. At the same time Araújo was drafted for the Brazil national basketball team at the 2002 World Championships, as NBA player Nenê could not attend the tournament.
After finishing his junior college career, Araújo moved to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where as a junior (2002–03), he averaged 12.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game (second in the Mountain West Conference). In his senior season, Araújo led BYU in scoring (18.4 points per game), rebounding (10.1 rebounds per game), steals (43 total), and blocked shots (25). He was named Co-Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference, sharing the honor with Air Force's Nick Welch. He was named 2nd Team NCAA All-American by Basketball Times and Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.
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