The latest acquisition in the black and white camp of Belgrade’s Partizan is the Brazilian center Bruno Caboclo, following yet another transfer saga.
We had the opportunity to witness several, to say the least, strange transfers during the last transfer window when the “Steamroller” was the subject of discussion. Some of them happened completely unexpectedly, while others were absent, even though everything had been agreed upon in advance.
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Yam Madar was a significant part of coach Zeljko Obradovic’s plans, so his departure came as a shock at that moment, as Partizan wanted to retain the Israeli international in the playmaker position without a traditional point guard. However, it didn’t happen in the end. The actual reasons and circumstances for this may never be fully revealed.
Next came the “Spanish series” and the case of Nikola Mirotic. After several discussions and meetings between coach Obradovic and sports director Zoran Savic, an initial agreement was reached, a verbal agreement, so to speak. Information circulating in basketball circles was contradictory, and Mirotic continued his career in Milan, where no one had expected him to land.
Even though the Italian team was the first to emphasize the lack of necessary finances for such a player, the forward found himself in the “fashion capital.” Coach Obradovic confirmed meetings with Mirotic and a verbal agreement, but it never resulted in a signed contract. Once again, we can pose the same two identical questions, how and for what reasons? The same answer applies as for the Israeli player who left Belgrade, the true story remains shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty.
Expect the unexpected
And just when we thought it would be hard for anything to surprise us, especially when it comes to transfer politics, the “Brazilian case” happened – Bruno Caboclo.
After playing the best season of his career with Ulm, it was expected that he would change teams. Maybe the statistical figures don’t confirm the claim of a career season, but it really was the case, even though he had achieved better averages in some aspects in previous teams, at least in terms of points and rebounds. With Ulm, he did it in a more competitive environment.
Albert Einstein’s hometown had the opportunity to celebrate its first-ever German championship title. The driving forces of the squad were now Red Star’s player, Yago dos Santos, and the new Partizan player, Bruno Caboclo.
On their way to the trophy, they eliminated Berlin’s Alba, the favored Bayern, and ultimately the FIBA Champions League winners, Bonn. The Brazilian center recorded averages of 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and one assist per game. He shot 58% from the field and was quite efficient at the free-throw line, with an 82.5% success rate from the charity stripe.
FIBA World cup
At the recent FIBA World Cup, when we look at Bruno Caboclo’s individual performance, he put up some mature performances. He played a total of five games, spending an average of just over 28 minutes on the court.
Against Spain, he scored 15 points along with 11 rebounds without missing a shot inside the paint (6/6). In the matchup against Latvia, he counted up to 20 points with fantastic shooting percentages (7/11). At the World Cup, he maintained stats similar to his Ulm performance, but in some areas, he elevated his game. He finished the global event with an average of 16.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and just under one assist per game.
Three-point shooting is also part of Bruno Caboclo’s offensive arsenal. Although the percentages are not promising, the Brazilian is aware of it and doesn’t force offensive solutions of that type. On average, he attempts three-pointers per game, most often making one, as confirmed by the shooting percentages (29%).
What happend in Venecija
A multitude of questions and not a single definitive answer. As we’ve already mentioned, it was expected that after his time in Ulm, he would take another step in his career. Perhaps Venezia, competing in Serie A and the EuroCup, wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but the fact remains that he signed the contract.
Then something unusual happened, rarely heard of. After the conclusion of the World Cup, some basketball players returned to their clubs for preseason training, some after a longer break, and some after a shorter one. Bruno Caboclo didn’t do so. Initially, he didn’t show up at the team gathering, which reverberated across the Old Continent and raised a series of questions.
After his performances in the World Cup, does he believe he deserves more? Maybe Venezia wasn’t what he truly desired in the end? Was the EuroLeague, as a measure of quality on the Old Continent, his primary aspiration?”
Need
“If that’s the case, he succeeded in his intention and ultimately got what he wanted. He will be playing in the most elite European club competition for a team with significant ambitions to achieve great results. Last year, they were one win away from reaching the final four in Europe. At the beginning of this season, they announced their desire for further progress.
Partizan showed right from the start of the season that their players in the center position couldn’t provide everything that Mathias Lessort did. Of course, there are no two identical basketball players on the planet, but the need of the black and whites to sign a center exclusively and the need of the Brazilian to fight for what rightfully belongs to him came together at the perfect moment for both sides. It remains to be seen what contribution he can make.
NBA experience, and then a decline
Bruno Caboclo boasts significant NBA experience, as evidenced by his 105 appearances in the top basketball league in the world. Truth be told, he never received substantial playing time, so his averages of 4.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists may not provide the full picture of this player. Or perhaps, he simply couldn’t establish himself in such tough competition.
During the few years he played for the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and Houston Rockets, he often found himself part of developmental teams competing in the G League. After his time in the NBA, he took his basketball talents to Limoges. There, in 19 games, he averaged 10.2 points and just over five rebounds.
He then returned to his native Brazil, where he played for Sao Paulo with great success. Besides leading the team to the title in the South American Champions League, he shined with averages of 23.9 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. This earned him the title of the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Afterward, he joined Ulm, with a journey from a spot in the EuroCup’s second lineup, through an unsuccessful stint in Italy and the FIBA World Cup, to arrive in Belgrade.
The pivotal question for all black-and-white supporters, as well as members of Partizan at this moment, is what will happen in Belgrade? We’ll find out in the next few months.