Igor Willian spoke in an interview with Basketball Sphere about his debut for Mogi das Cruzes, his career path, and plans for the future.
Born on February 29, 2012, in Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo state, 14-year-old Igor Willian etched his name into the history of Brazilian professional basketball on April 17, 2026.
In a regular-season game of the 2025/26 campaign against Basket Osasco, played at the Ginasio Hugo Ramos, popularly known as “Hugao”, he became the youngest player ever to debut in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), at the age of 14 years, one month and 19 days.
Entering the game already in the first half, Igor played 11 minutes and scored 7 points, while adding one rebound, one assist and one steal.
Standing 1.80 meters tall, Igor Willian plays as a wing/small forward and has been known by the nickname “Igor Negao” since his youth days. He has spent his entire career to date in the Mogi Basquete youth academy, making him a true “cria da base mogiana” – a homegrown product who developed within the club from the very beginning.
One of the most impressive fan facts is his performance in the U14 category: he was part of a generation that remained unbeaten for nearly a year and a half, posting a streak of more than 60 consecutive victories.
Mogi Basquete is well known for giving young talents an opportunity, and Igor became the third player from their academy to make his NBB debut as a teenager, following Luiz Guilherme and Arthur Bueris.
In a single evening he broke two historic league records: the record for the youngest debutant (previously held by Du Klafke of Sesi Franca) and the record for the youngest player to score in the NBB (previously held by Luiz Guilherme of the same Mogi Basquete).
Speaking about how and when he fell in love with basketball, Igor Willian said:
,,I fell in love with basketball playing on the street, and at school as well, and I hope to continue growing in this club…”
We also discussed the “secret behind the success” of his club’s youth teams, which have remained unbeaten for nearly 20 months.
,,I think it’s because of a lot of training; I train every day on the court and physically…”
Igor Willian was handed his first-team debut at just 14 years old, and reflecting on the moment his coach informed him he would get his opportunity, he told us:
,,When he told me that, I was confused and surprised, but then it crossed my mind that I worked to deserve it.”
You came off the bench and scored seven points in your NBB debut: a three-pointer, a two-pointer, and two free throws. What moment from that night has stayed with you the most?
,,A made three-pointer…”
🇧🇷 Igor Willian (2012) becomes the youngest player to ever make his pro debut in the Brazilian league, at 14 years old
— nbadraftpoint (@nbadraftpoint) April 18, 2026
The 5’11, 2012-born wing prospect played his first game for Mogi in the NBB and had 7 points, 1 assist and 1 rebound in 12 minutes pic.twitter.com/Qy5PBrPXhX
You played nearly 12 minutes in your debut and looked very composed on the court. How did you mentally prepare for such a big moment at just 14 years old?
,,I turned off my phone, talked to the psychologist from Mogi, took a breath, and went” – Igor Willian said.
In the continuation of the interview, Igor spoke about how his coach and teammates reacted to him becoming the youngest scorer in NBB history.
,,They were very happy for me…”
What does a typical day look like for you now: balancing school, training with the U14 team, and still finding time to just be a “normal kid”?
,,Some people are recognizing me and asking for photos, but aside from that, everything is normal.”
HISTÓRICO! 🚨🔥
— NBB CAIXA (@NBB) April 18, 2026
Igor Willian entrou em quadra e acaba de se tornar o jogador mais jovem da história do NBB CAIXA, com apenas 14 anos, 1 mês e 19 dias! E detalhe, ele pontuou tá? Bolinha de 2 pontos para ajudar o @mogibasquete! 🔥
Confira o ranking com os 5 jogadores mais jovens… pic.twitter.com/J39P5o6gTZ
Your family has been with you every step of the way here in Mogi. How important was their support, especially in the days leading up to your debut?
,,My parents have always been with me, both in the youth system and in my debut.”
Igor’s favorite aspects of basketball are:
,,Being on the court, but also the dunks I started doing at 13 years old.”
Now that you’ve made history at just 14, what excites you most about the rest of this season and the years ahead — whether it’s more games with Mogi, time with the U14 team, or simply continuing to improve every day?
,,I think training every day to improve more and more.”
What are your ambitions and plans for the future in your basketball career? What do you dream of achieving in the coming years?
,,I really want to go to the USA to play there; I dream of becoming a standout in the USA…”
And to wrap things up… who are your basketball idols? Is there any player, from Brazil or around the world, that you follow closely and draw inspiration from?
,,I follow Anderson Barbosa and Kobe Bryant, and I’m inspired by Barbosa.”
