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Center · 2006–07

Rafael Araújo

BYU fans knew him as a bruising 6-foot-11 All-American, Mountain West co-Player of the Year in 2004, and Toronto made the Brazilian the eighth pick that June — one spot ahead of Andre Iguodala. The fit never worked, and in June 2006 the Raptors traded him to the Jazz for Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley. Araujo dropped twenty pounds and worked, but behind Boozer, Kirilenko, and Okur he managed 2.6 points in 28 games, his last NBA appearance coming in the 2007 Western Conference Finals.

Owner Larry H. Miller publicly hoped he would return, but the roster spot went to Kyrylo Fesenko. Araujo moved on to Spartak St. Petersburg in Russia, then got a final NBA camp look with Minnesota in 2008.

HOW HE CAME & WENTToronto sent him and cash to Utah for Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley on June 8, 2006. His rookie contract expired after one season and the Jazz signed Kyrylo Fesenko instead — his NBA career was over.

Full name
Rafael Paulo de Lara Araújo
Utah Jazz tenure
2006–07
Position
Center
Born
1980, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Height
6′11″ (211 cm)
Weight
276 lb (125 kg)
College
Brigham Young
Drafted
2004, 1st round (No. 8), Toronto
Signature in the archive 2004-05 SP Authentic RC 1410/1499 #180

No photograph of this signature is online yet.

With the Jazz

RAFAEL ARAÚJO · 2006–07 · PER GAME
SEASONTEAMGMPGPPGRPGAPGSPGBPGFG%3P%FT%
2006–07UTA288.92.62.40.40.20.1.415.621
JAZZ TOTAL1 SEASON288.92.62.40.40.20.1.415.621

Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗  ·  Wikipedia ↗

Did you know

RAFAEL ARAÚJO · 7 NOTES
  • Played college basketball in Utah at BYU before his NBA career.
  • Represented Brazil internationally for many years.
  • He was called up to Brazil's 2002 World Championship squad while still a junior college player, filling in for Nenê.
  • Throughout his career in Brazil he was known to everyone simply as Baby.
  • In a January 2011 game he took a baseline pass, attacked the rim and dunked so hard the backboard shattered, and the video travelled the world.
  • Returning to Flamengo in 2010 he respelled his nickname Babby and swapped number 55 for 66, purely for numerological reasons.
  • He cut himself from 295 pounds to 275 chasing athleticism after Utah traded for him in the summer of 2006.