CLEVELAND - Former Cleveland Cavaliers center and fan-favorite Anderson Varejão was formally introduced as the team's new Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador before Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Varejão, 40, who played 13 of his 14 NBA seasons in Cleveland, greeted reporters and described his new role as "different title, same heart."
"This organization did a lot for me," Varejão added Saturday. "To be back, and to be able to continue my journey with them, helping in any way I can, means a lot to me. My goal is to be impactful in the community and [to] help those in need.”
Varejão will also be honored at halftime of the Cavs' Saturday game with a special presentation and video tribute - in front of many fans who grew to love the curly afro-laiden Brazillian big man during many of the Cavs' high (and low) runs in the 2000s and early 2010s.
"My first game in Cleveland, my rookie year after a couple of games on the road, I got to Cleveland and before I knew [it], the fans were cheering for me and asking [former Cavaliers coach] Paul Silas to put me in," said Varejão. "It's like, 'Wow!' Nobody knows anything about me and they're already doing that. Right there, I knew my time in Cleveland was going to be special."
A 2004 second-round draft pick by the Orlando Magic, Varejão was soon traded to Cleveland and worked into the Cavs' playoff runs from 2006 to 2010 - including the team's first Eastern Conference Finals victory in 2007 over the Detroit Pistons. He also earned NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors for the 2009-10 season.
"I have a lot of great memories with this organization," said Varejão. "Every season was special. Every season was different. We had a lot of ups and downs. The most important thing in being here, was that the fans were always there for us. Good years, bad years...When we beat Detroit and when we went to the Finals, it was just crazy. I used to live in downtown...From the arena [to] there, it's probably a minute and a half by car. It took me an hour and a half. The memory of that day is something I will never forget. That year was special."
After the Cavs suffered the effect of LeBron James's leaving for the Miami Heat in 2010, Varejão became a focal point among the team's starting frontcourt, posting back-to-back seasons of at least 10 points and 11 rebounds per game. Varejão would also see through the return of James to Cleveland in 2014 and remained with the Cavs through the 2015-16 campaign, during which he was traded to the Golden State Warriors - who lost to the Cavs in that year's NBA Finals. After he was waived by the Warriors in February 2017, Varejão was offered a championship ring (which he accepted) by Golden State for their Finals win over the Cavs later that year.
Varejão would play two seasons in Brazil before re-signing with the Cavs in May 2021 to cap off his career. He appeared in five games for Cleveland before announcing his retirement after the season. Before his final game, Varejão said there were some discussions about a possible role for him with the team.
"Being a global ambassador, we're going to try to expand the Cavaliers brand around the world, for sure. I hope to impact Brazil as well. I'm not sure when and how we're going to do it yet, but I'm sure we're going to do something there."
When asked about the importance of player development in the league, Varejão answered the following: "Player development is very important because you can share a little bit of your experience. Everything that you went through. There are things that are about to happen, but because you're around for so long, you see it before it happens, and you can help those younger guys. Sometimes they think they know [everything, like I thought I did] when I was young, and I had people around me that made sure to tell me, 'No. You don't know.' I'm not saying they don't know. We have a pretty good group of guys here. I think we have a special team. We don't have anyone we have to worry about, but just being a little bit older - I'm forty years old - and some of them are 19, 20...I feel like I can share a little bit of my experience and help them in different ways as they need."
Varejão also cited former teammates Zydrunas Ilgauskas ("Big Z," as named by Varejão), Anthony Parker, and Ben Wallace as influences for his NBA growth, even adding: "Everyone that was part of my career in Cleveland, they all touched my career in different ways, and I really appreciate all of them."
