Anderson Varejão has basketball in his blood. First, he followed in the footsteps of his brother, Sandro Varejão, in becoming a national basketball star. Then he overtook him, as the first Brazilian to play in the NBA finals. However, being part of the National Basketball Association – the most important basketball league in the world – is not the only dream the Brazilian power forward and centre has achieved. In 2012, he was part of the Brazil team that came fifth at the London Olympic Games, after an agonising 16-year absence for the nation.

“Participating in the London Olympic Games for the Brazilian squad was very special,” he said. “Besides being great for my resume, being able to play alongside the best athletes in the whole world was incredible. I will remember it for the rest of my life.”

Called upon once more to play for his country, Anderson is now aiming to repeat the 2012 feat and help guarantee Brazil's participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The first chance to qualify comes at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, this August. The winner will automatically qualify for Rio 2016.

“It’s an important stage. We are well prepared and very focused on the world championships. Our overriding goal is to return from the World Cup not just with the trophy, but having qualified.”

Anderson Varejão poses with the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup trophy (Photo: Alexandre Loureiro)

According to Varejão, Brazilian fans will have a major effect on the team's performance during Rio 2016.

“It’ll be like having a sixth player on the court during the championship. Having everyone’s support will certainly help a lot,” he said.

Varejão is one of five Brazilians who currently play in the NBA. However, for a basketball fan from Colatina, Espírito Santo, the path to the US league was not easy.

“Playing in the NBA is the biggest dream of every child, but I always dreamed in stages. First, I wanted to be a basketball player, then I wanted to be an important member of my team. After that I thought about joining the Brazilian team. Then I considered leaving the country, and I ended up playing in Europe. It was only after all this that I started to really dream about the NBA.”

Following a short spell at Orlando Magic, Anderson has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers since 2004. In his second season, he became the first Brazilian to compete in the NBA finals. The Cavaliers are now preparing to come to Brazil for the first time, for a pre-season match against the Miami Heat, who are led by LeBron James, a former member of Varejão’s team. The match between the stars will take place in October 2014 at Rio Olympic Arena, which will also host basketball at the Rio 2016 Games.

In addition to a great night for everyone who loves basketball, Varejão is adamant that it is another important step in the sport’s growth in Brazil.

“The fact that Rio is hosting such important competitions, like Rio 2016 and NBA matches, certainly helps a lot to develop the sport in the country. The NBA, for example, is the biggest league in the world and, to us Brazilians, it was always such a distant thing. I’m very happy to be able to be a part of this moment and to play in front of my family and friends.”

To find out more about Varejão’s path to the Olympic Games and NBA, take a look at our Draw My Life feature on him: