For 90 days get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 30 brings…
Vitor Faverani (C, Boston Celtics) Brazil
Height: 2.11m, 6-foot-11| Weight: 117.9kg, 260 pounds | Born: 5 May, 1988
Vitor Faverani's road to the NBA took some time. In 2009, he entered the NBA Draft with high hopes. And promptly went undrafted. It would be another four years until, just prior to the 2013-2014 season, the Boston Celtics signed him out of the Spanish Basketball League and gave him his first NBA contract.
Despite being a newcomer to the NBA, the Brazilian big man had plenty of professional experience under his belt, having played in the Spanish Basketball League since 2005. Relatively unknown to the NBA world, however, expectations were not especially high.
Heads began to turn though during the first two games of the season, when Faverani tore up the floor with a combined 25 points, 21 rebounds and nine blocks. Unfortunately for Faverani, that turned out to be his highlight of the season, as his numbers dipped and his season was cut short after just 37 games due to knee surgery.
His rookie status and decreased playing time (13.2 minutes per game this year) contributed to this year's inconsistent stats. With two more years on his contract with Boston, the last year non-guaranteed, he will have another chance to gain more playing time and prove that this new face will be recognized as a key contributor for many years to come.
Key Stats:
2013-14 Season- GP: 37| MPG: 13.2| PTS: 4.4 | REB: 3.5| BLK: 0.7
Season Highlight: Recorded a double-double with 12 points and 18 rebounds along with 6 blocks on 1 November against the Milwaukee Bucks.
5 Things to Know:
1. His nickname is "El Hombre Indestructible" which means "The Indestructible Man."
2. His full name is Vitor Luiz Faverani Tatsch.
3. He won the LEB Oro championship in 2011 with CB Murcia, a professional basketball team in Murcia, Spain.
4. He began his professional career at the age of 18.
5. He is a native of Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Check out Faverani's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
Previous: Festus Ezeli (Golden State Warriors, Nigeria) | Next Up: Evan Fournier (Orlando Magic, France)