WITH FORMER FLAMENGO PLAYERS, BRAZILIAN BASKETBALL SELECTION RELEASES FINAL LIST FOR OLYMPICS

Anderson Varejão , former pivot and retired since 2021, declared his commitment to Flamengo. After spending almost his entire career abroad, the player returned to Brazil already in the spotlight in 2017. The athlete's first choice was Mais Querido, and even with little time at the club, he won the Campeonato Carioca, NBB and Copa Super 8.

VAREJÃO DECLARES HIMSELF TO FLAMENGO

When talking about his return to Flamengo, Varejão treated his time at Mais Querido as a personal achievement, precisely because it is his favorite team. He also emphasizes that it is not always that professional athletes get this opportunity, especially when playing for so long outside the country.

Anderson Varejão talks about returning to Flamengo: "Playing for Flamengo was very different for me".

He continued: "It's a massive shirt, the biggest fan base in Brazil. It's my favorite team. It was a personal achievement to defend my team. Not everyone can say that ," Varejão told "ge".

WINNING TITLES WITH THE MANTLE

Even though he had played for major franchises such as the Cleveland Cavaliers (USA) and the Golden State Warriors, Varejão was certain that the best option was to fulfill his dream of playing for Flamengo . To top it all off, he won titles and became an idol of the nation.

"Several players didn't make it, but I did it at the end of my career. I had offers from Europe, from other NBA teams, and had close conversations, but I thought it was better to play in Brazil. I was champion of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. It was a successful stint ," Varejão added.

The restructuring of the Flamengo basketball team's roster continues at a fast pace after the end of the 2024/25 season. Despite winning the Champions League of the Americas and the Super 8 Cup , the team was eliminated in the NBB semifinals by Sesi Franca, who later lifted the trophy. And now, the São Paulo rival can further strengthen its roster with an important name from Mengão: Shaq Johnson.

According to information released by the Repórter NBB page , negotiations between the American point guard and Franca are at an advanced stage. With that, the player should continue playing in Brazil, but wearing the jersey of a direct competitor of Orgulho da Nação.

SHAQ JOHNSON'S CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE

Shaq Johnson, who plays as a shooting guard, played an important role in the Rio de Janeiro team's campaign last season. In the NBB, he ended his participation with averages of 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2 assists per game. His consistency on the court and his contribution to continental and national titles raised his profile.

With the likely move to Sesi Franca, Shaq could be the fourth loss to the red-black squad in the transition process . So far, only Jordan Williams' departure has been made official by the board.

FLABASQUETE REFORMULATION INCLUDES EXITS

Among the names with exits planned are also the Argentine point guard Franco Balbi , multi-champion with the club, and the pivot Tayavek Gallizzi. Balbi says goodbye at the end of his second stint with the team , while Gallizzi ends a short cycle.

In an attempt to maintain competitiveness, the board has already begun to make up for the losses. The point guard Franco Baralle , a standout player for Minas, is the main target and should be confirmed in the next few days. The Argentine press is already considering his transfer to Rubro-Negro as practically certain.

Even after lifting yet another continental trophy, Flamengo is starting to move to renew its basketball team . The elimination in the NBB semifinals against Franca, who ended up as champions, raised alarm bells and prompted internal changes. With the continuity of names like Alexey Borges, Gui Deodato and Ruan Miranda already assured, the board chose not to renew the contracts of other important athletes in the team, among them Franco Balbi and Tayavek Gallizzi.

Balbi's departure did not go unnoticed. The Argentine point guard played a leadership role on and off the court. He was an essential part of the red-black team's key moments in recent seasons , especially in winning the Champions League of the Americas in 2020/21 and 2024/25. In his second stint at the club, Balbi accumulated achievements: two NBB titles (2018/19 and 2020/21), two Super 8 Cups (2018 and 2021) and three State Cups (2018, 2019 and 2020).

NEW MOMENT IN THE ATHLETES' CAREERS

With less time at home , Tayavek Gallizzi also leaves Flamengo. The Argentine pivot participated in the 2024/25 Champions League of the Americas championship campaign and in the Super 8 Cup . Even though he was not an absolute starter, Gallizzi added physical strength in the paint and defensive solidity.

INFORMATION TOOK EVERYONE BY SURPRISE

The duo's departure was anticipated by journalist Enéas Lima, from the Garrafão Rubro-Negro channel , which specializes in covering FlaBasquete. According to him, the decision was already behind the scenes at the club since the end of the Champions League. So far, the destinations of Balbi and Gallizzi have not been confirmed. There is speculation about the return of both to the Argentine market, but no negotiations have been made official.

The restructuring of FlaBasquete is already well underway. According to the Argentine press, Rubro-Negro has reached an agreement with Argentine point guard Juan Ignacio Baralle, who played for Minas in the last season of the NBB. Baralle would join the rotation with Alexey Borges, currently the starting point guard for Flamengo, maintaining the standard of foreign coaches that have been the basketball department's preference.