Background and career
Anderson França Varejão ( VAH-rə-ZHOWN; Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɐ̃deʁsõ ˈfɾɐ̃sɐ vɐɾeˈʒɐ̃w]; born September 28, 1982) is a Brazilian former professional basketball player who is currently a player development consultant and global ambassador for the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he spent 13 of his 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). With a career that spanned four professional leagues, Varejão also played for Franca and the Flamengo of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), Barcelona of the EuroLeague and Liga ACB, and has been a regular member of the Brazilian national team, winning a gold medal in 2003 at the Pan American Games.
From 1998 to 2002, Varejão played for Franca Basquetebol Clube in the city of Franca, São Paulo. After averaging 17.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in the first half of the 2001–02 season with them, he signed with FC Barcelona Bàsquet of the Liga ACB in January 2002.
In nine EuroLeague games, Varejão averaged 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. In two regular season Liga ACB games, he averaged 4.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 steal per game. In 2002–03, Varejão appeared in four regular season Liga ACB games for Barcelona, averaging 8.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. While he did not play in the 2003 Liga ACB playoffs, Barcelona, led by Juan Carlos Navarro, Šarūnas Jasikevičius and Dejan Bodiroga, won the Liga ACB championship. Varejão also played in 22 EuroLeague games (starting in one), helping Barcelona to their first ever EuroLeague championship. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Varejão later scored a point in the EuroLeague championship game against Benetton Treviso. In 2003–04, Varejão appeared in 27 regular season Liga ACB games for Barcelona, averaging 7.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He once again did not play in the playoffs, but Barcelona won its second straight Liga ACB championship, led by Navarro and Bodiroga. Varejão also played in 18 EuroLeague games, averaging 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Varejão was selected by the Orlando Magic in the second round (30th overall) of the 2004 NBA draft. On July 23, 2004, Varejão, along with Drew Gooden and Steven Hunter, were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Tony Battie and two future second-round picks. As a rookie, Varejão came off the bench in 54 games and averaged 4.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.8 steals in 16 minutes played per game. He had a season-high 14 rebounds in a 84–71 victory over the Utah Jazz on January 15, 2005, and a season-high 14 points on March 26 in a 117–86 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Varejão ranked first in the NBA in steals per turnover (1.58), fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (6.1), second among rookies in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (6.1), and fourth in total rebounds per 48 minutes (14.3). After missing the first 32 games of the 2005–06 season with a dislocated right shoulder, Varejão played in 48 games, starting four and averaging 4.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.6 steals in 15.9 minutes per game. Varejão had a season-high 14 points on two occasions and a career-high 18 rebounds in a narrow 100–99 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on April 19, 2006. On February 21, 2006, fans at Quicken Loans Arena attempted to break the Guinness World Record for "most people wearing wigs in a single venue" when 20,562 fans wore wigs given away before the game in celebration of Varejão's unique hairstyle. All of the fans in attendance were instructed to put the wigs on during a timeout. However, it does not appear that the fans were successful, as the Philadelphia Flyers now claim to have the wig wearing record with 9,315. As a major contributor during the Cavaliers' 2006 playoff run, Varejão averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds (equating to 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per 36 minutes played) to go along with 0.2 assists and 0.7 steals in 18.3 minutes per game. During the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Detroit Pistons, the career 63% foul shooter uncharacteristically shot over 80% from the free throw line and played a big part in the Cavaliers' victories in Game 3 (16 points) and Game 4 (drawing a charge from Chauncey Billups with 29 seconds left to play and by preventing Richard Hamilton from making a potentially game-winning shot).
In the 2006–07 season, Varejão received increased minutes from head coach Mike Brown. In 81 games played (six starts), Varejão averaged 6.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. He was a staple on defense as he took 99 charges in the season, which was the most in the NBA. Varejão was also tied with Al Harrington for eighth in the NBA in personal fouls (269) and was eighth in the NBA's Defensive Rating. On December 11, 2006, Varejão had a then career-high 17 points in a 95–89 loss to the New Orleans Hornets and a season-high 17 rebounds (including a career high nine offensive rebounds) in a narrow 99–98 loss to the Utah Jazz on February 14, 2007. Varejão played in all 20 of the Cavaliers' playoff games, averaging 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 22.4 minutes per game. He had a playoff high 14 points and a career playoff high 14 rebounds in a Game 2 79–76 loss to the Detroit Pistons during the Eastern Conference Finals. Varejão helped the Cavaliers reach the 2007 NBA Finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in a four-game sweep. In the 2007 offseason, Varejão became a restricted free agent, and he did not sign a contract with the Cavaliers at the start of the 2007–08 NBA season. On December 4, 2007, Varejão signed a two-year, $11.1 million offer sheet (with a player option for a third year at $6.2 million) with the Charlotte Bobcats. Under the NBA's collective bargaining rules, the Cavaliers had a week to match the offer sheet, which they did on December 5. In 48 regular season games (13 starts), Varejão averaged career highs in minutes (27.5), rebounds (8.3), offensive rebounds (2.8), and assists (1.1). On January 11, 2008, he had a season-high and career-high tying 18 rebounds on January 11 in a 113–106 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, a career high six assists on March 8 in a 103–95 victory over the Indiana Pacers, and a season-high 17 points (tying his career-high) in a 118–114 victory over the Bobcats on April 2. In his 13 starts, Varejão averaged 7.9 points and 10.1 rebounds. In 13 playoff games, Varejão averaged 4.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and a then career playoff high 0.7 assists in 18.5 minutes. During Game 2 of the Eastern Conference against the Boston Celtics, he had 10 rebounds in the 89–73 loss. Four days later in Game 4, Varejão scored 12 points in the 88–77 victory.
On November 7, 2008, Varejão scored a then career-high 18 points in a 111–107 victory over the Indiana Pacers. On January 2, 2009, he eclipsed his personal best by scoring a career-high 26 points in a 117–92 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Varejão finished the 2008–09 season playing in 28.5 minutes per game and averaged 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.9 steals in 81 games and 42 starts. On July 9, 2009, Varejão reached an agreement with the Cavaliers to sign a six-year contract worth $42.5 million. On December 30, he recorded 14 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks while also making the game-winning three-pointer in a 106–101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks – his only successful three-pointer in 43 career attempts. Despite only starting in seven games during the 2009–10 season, Varejão still averaged 8.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.9 steals playing 28.5 minutes per game in 76 games. The Cavaliers once again made the playoffs, where they eventually lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Varejão was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team at the end of the season. Varejão became the Cavaliers' starting center in the 2010–11 season. In 31 games and starts, he played in 32.1 minutes per game, averaging 9.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, but was forced to miss the rest of the season due to a torn tendon in his foot, which Varejão suffered during a 120–105 loss to the Toronto Raptors on January 5, 2011.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
