Rafael Araujo

Rafael Araújo is a Brazilian former professional basketball player who played as a center. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and played three seasons in the National Basketball Association before continuing his career internationally.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Rafael Araújo was born on August 12, 1980, in Curitiba, Brazil. He stands 6 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 275 pounds during his playing days.

Araújo began playing basketball at a young age in Brazil and moved to the United States to pursue his basketball career. He is married and has spoken about his journey from Brazil to the NBA.

High School and College Career

Araújo attended Padre Anacleto High School in São Paulo, Brazil.

He played college basketball at Arizona Western College from 2000 to 2002, where he was named Region Most Valuable Player and 2nd Team NJCAA All-American. He then transferred to Brigham Young University, playing for the Cougars from 2002 to 2004.

As a senior, he averaged 18.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game and was named Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year and 2nd Team NCAA All-American by Basketball Times.

During the 2002 World Championships, Araújo tested positive for the steroid nandrolone and received a 24-month suspension from international play. He was later cleared in subsequent tests while at BYU, and the NBA did not test for steroids at that time.

Araújo was also involved in on-court incidents during his senior season at BYU, including a public reprimand for a physical altercation in a game against UNLV and a technical foul for elbowing an opponent in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

Professional Career

Araújo was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, becoming the first college senior drafted that year.

He played two seasons with the Raptors. In 2006, he was traded to the Utah Jazz, where he played one season and averaged 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Araújo appeared in 139 NBA games in total.

After his NBA career, Araújo played professionally in Russia for Spartak Saint Petersburg, then returned to Brazil to play for several clubs, including Flamengo, Paulistano, Franca, Mogi das Cruzes, and Pinheiros.

He won the Brazilian League championship with Flamengo in 2009 and was named to the All-Brazilian League Team the same year.

Career Highlights

• 2004 – Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year
• 2004 – 2nd Team NCAA All-American (Basketball Times)
• 2009 – Brazilian League champion
• 2009 – All-Brazilian League Team