As part of of the promotional vehicle for the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian forward Anderson Varejao talks about how he made it to the League. The media shy Cleveland Cavaliers star offers a rare glimpse into his remarkable life journey. Per the Plain Dealer: “But Varejao has always been a little bit of a reluctant celebrity in Northeast Ohio, in part because the Brazilian shies away from talking about himself. So it’s a revelation to hear Varejao speak at length about how he grew up in Brazil and became a professional athlete in the above video created as part of a promotional series building interest in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The audio is in Portuguese, but with English subtitles. At over four minutes, it’s a fascinating look into a local hero who is a national star in his native country. C’mon, how can you not root for a youngster who endured being called ‘fathead’ and ‘popsicle’? Oh, and when he talks about his NBA Draft experience, the unnamed player in his story is Sasha Vujacic.”
