With Team USA going head-to-head against Brazil next, everybody expects the underdogs to be dominated by the USA, who seems to be cruising through the Olympics so far with their unbeaten run. But before completely writing off the Brazilian team, let’s take a look at an ex-NBA player on their roster. Did you know that Bruno Caboclo once forced Lebron James to miss fifteen shots in a game? Yes, you read that right! Back when Caboclo was playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, Caboclo locked down Lebron James to a 9-23 clip.

“I don’t know if he played all out or did his best, but I could feel a little bit of how it is,” Caboclo said. “It’s cool.” The 9-year NBA veteran said this following his team’s [Grizzlies] win against the Lakers back in the 2019 season. With Brazil looking to secure a medal in the 2024 Olympics, let’s find out more about their 6’9 forward, Bruno Caboclo.

Who is Bruno Caboclo?

Early life in the NBA

Growing up in the state of Sao Paulo, it did not take Caboclo long to fall in love with the game of basketball. After showcasing decent performances in his school and college years, he started playing for the Pinheiros of the Nobo Basquete Brasil in 2013. Surprisingly, the young buck did not have to wait much to get into the big league. Even though he was still developing as a player, the Toronto Raptors made a surprising decision by drafting Caboclo in the 2014 NBA draft.

“First of all, he is described as the Brazilian Kevin Durant.” Fran Fraschilla said about Caboclo during draft night. “He’s 6 foot 9, and he is a terrific athlete, but he’s so raw that he is three or four years away, in my opinion, from playing in the league.” Fraschilla believed that it would take Caboclo at least four years to make a major impact in the league, and the sports news veteran was indeed right. Caboclo, being very raw and undeveloped at the time, needed to improve a lot.

After a four-year run with the Toronto Raptors with no or very little impact, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings. After spending one year with the Kings, he took his talents to the Memphis Grizzlies, and that’s where Caboclo started to step up his game.

Bruno Caboclo with the Grizzlies

After a brief stint in the G-league for one year, Caboclo signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019. With shooting over 40% from the field, Caboclo nailed his first double-double with the Grizzlies. It was during his stint with the Grizzlies that he got the chance to guard Lebron James and managed to do a decent job.

Though James scored a triple-double with 23 points in the game, Caboclo did his best to contain him, making the “king” miss over 10 shots from the field. Even though he was switching between the NBA and G-league during that time, he viewed this game as a cool moment in his career.

After his run with the Grizzlies, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. He was waived by the latter team in 2021, and that was the last time he played in the NBA.

Caboclo played for a couple of other teams in a different league following his waiver. Currently, the 6’9 forward plays for Partizan Belgrade. With over 60% shooting from the field, Caboclo is on his A-game every time he steps on the court for the Partizans.

International career

Even though this is Caboclo’s first Olympic appearance, this is not the first time he has represented Brazil in international tournaments. Caboclo was part of the Brazilian team during the 2019 and 2023 FIBA World Cups. In that, he was a key player, especially in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. At the 2019 FIBA World Cup, he only averaged a little over 5 points and 5 rebounds per game. But in 2023, he was a different kind of beast. He was awarded “best player of the game” in Brazil’s first-round game against Spain.

“I wanted to become a big role for this team, both offensively and defensively,” he stated. “I can change a lot about how the game goes. I just need to be smart with my decisions and hold my team accountable.” Caboclo is not afraid of responsibilities and, in fact, looks for opportunities to support his team. He showed that in his game against Japan at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

With over 30 points and 15 rebounds, Caboclo sealed the win against Japan with a score of 102-84. Even though he struggled in the first two games of the Olympics, he stepped up when his team needed him the most. This was the game that secured Brazil a spot in the quarterfinals, thanks to Bruno Caboclo. Will Caboclo and Brazil be able to secure a medal at the Paris Olympics? What are your thoughts on him?

And before you go, do check out this latest video featuring BG12 and Silas Demary Jr.