BRA – Magnano encouraged by visit to USA

DENVER (2010 FIBA World Championship) - New Brazil coach Ruben Magnano has been left with a very good feeling about the summer in Turkey after paying visits to three of the country’s most famous players in the United States.

Cleveland Cavalier Anderson Varejao, Denver Nugget Nenê and Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns all met Magnano for the first time since his appointment as national team boss and expressed their hopes of playing at the FIBA World Championship.

“Our visit to the United States was positive and with the will shown by the athletes, we can reach our goals," Magnano said.

Anderson and Barbosa played last summer and helped the Brazilians capture a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico.

Cancer survivor Nenê was unable to represent the country but wants to rejoin the side.

"It was a very honest and positive conversation,” Nenê said.

“I told Magnano that I always want to be in the Brazilian national team to defend the country and it is a big pleasure for me.

“I hope to be in it this year, if God wants it, I am going to help my teammates in the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

“The CBB Project is excellent, extremely professional and has everything to put Brazilian basketball on top of the world. It is also valuable that the CBB visits the players to talk to them."

"Nenê is a great player and his presence in the Brazilian national team is very important,” Magnano said.

“Our objective is to have contact with the players to talk to them about our program and objectives for the team. Nenê is interested in participating in this new phase of Brazilian basketball and it is good to know that we can count on him to develop those projects."

Brazil will face the United States, Slovenia, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia in the Preliminary Round in Istanbul.

FIBA