Having set a 3-0 record, Team USA has now secured a spot in the Quarter-Finals at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics. Before they can get to the game that will allow them to secure a medal, however, the star-filled NBA roster will have to go up against the Brazilian National Team. In another case, the matchup wouldn’t have been that big of a concern for the Dream Team 2.0, since the men’s roster from Brazil hasn’t won a medal since 1964. However, after being unable to qualify for four of the last six games, they are in a much better position. Moreover, with a player like Georginho De Paula on their side, Brazil can still provide a tough fight to Team USA.

Due to Brazil’s previous track record, not many people could be blamed for getting surprised over the team reaching the Quarter-Finals stage. However, by defeating Japan via a 102-84, the roster did defy expectations! While players like Bruno Caboclo and Vítor Alves Benite led the offensive charge with their combined 52 points, Georginho De Paula also contributed by putting up 3 points during his 17 minutes on the court. The score was consistent with his average stats at the Olympics since he averaged 2.7 points during his limited playing time in the 3 games. De Paula, head coach Aleksander Petrovic, and the Brazilian squad had the stars aligned in their favor since Japanese star and NBA player Rui Hachimura was ruled out of the team after developing a left calf injury.

Now, before he gets the chance to go against the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, let us take a dive into who this Brazilian point guard is.

Who is Georginho De Paula?

Early Life and Domestic Stats

Born in the city of Pinheiros, Brazil, Georginho De Paula developed a liking for basketball early on. By the time he was 17, his on-court skills had allowed him to compete in the Novo Basquete Brasil, the country’s top basketball league. While he didn’t get the chance to play much during the first two seasons, he was sent to the main lineup for 25 games during the next season, accumulating a score of 2.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. In 2015, he made headlines after applying his name for the NBA Draft. However, according to USA Today, Georginho’s lack of experience quickly diminished any advantages he held in terms of his 6-foot-6 stature and relatively long arms. Having realized the same, the player removed his name before the deadline.

The Brazilian’s journey took him back to the Novo Basquete Brasil league but through a different team. With Club Athletico Paulistano, Georginho saw a significant increase in his stats as he averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his one season. As a result, while he was not drafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, he was taken in by the Houston Rockets to represent them in the Summer League. Things started to look up for him after he signed a training camp deal with the franchise at the end of September. Unfortunately, that was the extent of his NBA journey, since he was excused from the team weeks later. De Paula would never return to the American League after that.

After returning to Brazil, the point guard would play for five different teams over seven years. His high point came during the 2021-2022 NBB season with the Franca Basquetebol Clube, when he averaged 16.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. The same was made possible by Georginho going 50.5% with his field goals,   33.6% with his three-pointers, and 80.3% with his free throws. His performance contributed to Franca possessing a 26-3 win record by the end of the season. Georginho’s final year with Franca saw him participating in the 2023 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, during which he averaged 11.7 points. The 8 points he scored during the Finals helped Franca secure a narrow 70-69 and hoist the championship trophy.

Stints at the International Level

Georgingho De Paula’s first stint on the international stage came when he represented Brazil’s under-17 national team. During the 2013 FIBA South American under-17 Championship, he averaged  8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists to lead the team to the bronze medal. While Brazil’s trouble in qualifying for the Olympics could not allow Georginho to be a part of the squad, he did represent the national team at the FIBA World Cups and the FIBA AmeriCup. If there was any game that placed the player as an entity to look out for on the international level, then it was the one against Team USA last year. However, it was not the Team USA squad that one would expect.

Georgingho De Paula emerged as a lead scorer against the USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Before the 2023 FIBA World Cup, a separate Team USA roster was sent to participate in the qualifying round of the same. The team didn’t face much during the initial stages of the tournament, as they secured a 9-3 win record during the qualifying round. However, if it was up to the Brazil team, and especially Georgingho De Paula, they wouldn’t have managed to go much further.

During the Group F game between the two countries, Brazil managed to keep the momentum during the first half, securing a 58-34 lead for themselves. Despite players like Christopher Chiozza and Langston Galloway building up the momentum, Team USA could not close the gap and lost the game by a final score of 94-79.

Georginho De Paula played a major role in this defeat, thanks to the score of 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist he had secured to his name. Along with Bruno Caboclo’s 24 points, the point guard’s score helped to put Brazil over the edge. By going 5-6 with his field goals, 3-4 with his three-pointers, and 5-5 with his free throws, the player easily circumvented the defense and kept things interesting offensively.

Unfortunately for Georginho, the next Team USA roster he meets will be made up of the best of the best the basketball world has to offer. Only time will tell whether he will manage to hold his own during the same.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.