STREETOPIA brings firsthand bombastic news for basketball fans in Brazil and abroad: Leandrinho Barbosa, one of the most talented and respected basketball players in the world, is gearing up for a new phase in his already brilliant 20-year career:
Back in 1999, the young small forward stood out playing at Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, a team at the time directed by Lula Ferreira, where he played until 2001. In Bauru and under the command of former player Guerrinha, Leandro was a revelation of the Campeonato Paulista of 2001, Brazilian Champion in 2002 and in that same year, he would play for the first time in the Brazilian Team competing for the 'FIBA World Championship'.
In 2003, already on the radar of some NBA teams, Leandrinho was picked by the San Antonio Spurs in the 28th general choice of that year’s draft, but was soon traded to the Phoenix Suns since his rights had been negotiated. His debut could not be better and he lands in the league breaking the record among the team's newcomers, scoring 27 points against the Chicago Bulls.
Already adapted to the reality of the league and after some games, we highlight the memorable 2006/2007 season. With an average of 18.1 points, 4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game, in addition to his contribution to the Phoenix Suns ranking for the playoffs, he excelled in the role of sixth man, which would earn him the title of 'NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award'. His game stats remained constant in the following seasons, but in 2010 he would leave the Phoenix Suns.
His new home team from 2010 to 2012 became the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 13.3 and 12.2 points per game respectively. In 2011, due to the strike in the NBA, Leandro had a season playing for Flamengo - the negotiation allowed him to return to the league soon after the strike came to an end. The following year, now for the Indiana Pacers, he continued with a good performance and participated in the team's arrival in the second round of playoffs, but would not have his contract renewed for the following season.
He was going through a very turbulent moment. First by racing against the clock to find a team, and second, already in the Boston Celtics, the challenge was to win the trust of Doc Rivers and his teammates and then struggle to recover from a serious knee injury. The experience lasted only 41 games and soon a new team came about, but without him actually playing, the Washington Wizards.
Back in Brazil, and this time to represent Pinheiros, the work is a new beginning and 100% aimed at recovering his shape. Over 8 games, 20.7 points per game, 3.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds, with 68% of success in two-point shots and 36% of three-point shots were his average stats. The great ‘Brazilian Blur’ was back, and that sparked Phoenix Suns’s interest in signing with him again. Initially the proposal was a 10-day contract, which was extended for another 10 days and finally a proposal culminated into a contract for the 2013/2014 season.
And then , Leandrinho for the 2014/2015 season signs with the Golden State Warriors. The team at the time was lined up by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and co, the franchise had an excellent season with 67 victories, enough to take them to the finals against LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers and assure their victory. This would be his first NBA title, in which he played a key role. In 2016 they bet on the second championship, but were defeated by LeBron’s Cavaliers.
On the eve of the 2016 Olympics, where he had a historic participation, Leandro would say goodbye to the NBA again playing for the Suns, the small forward had added a total of 6000 points in 500 matches in his 3 passes, which makes him one of the highest scorers in the history of the team, in addition to being among the 10 most notable players who ever played for that franchise.
Back in Brazil in 2018, he would represent Franca until the end of this year's season and then signed with Minas Tenis Clube, a team he played for until 2020.
Last year, Leandro stepped up STREETOPIA’s game through various projects, one of which was to perform as an official athlete of TIME STREETOPIA at the biggest street basketball festival in the world held in Paris, Quai 54. OIt marks the debut as the first Latin America team to participate in the event, and make no mistake about it, ended up as runner-up of the competition.
Together with STREETOPIA, he was also involved in activating the action #PedalaLeandrinho, a project that was born together with the athlete's love for cycling and the desire to help others. It took 3 days and 274 km by bicycle to leave the city of Jundiaí towards the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Aparecida. Throughout this project, the intention was to collect 20 tons of food to donate to families that have been affected by Covid-19.
Leandro lives today one of his best moments of his career yet due to an extremely important transition in his career. He is saying goodbye to Brazil heading back to his old home, the Golden State Warriors, this time not as a player, but as Steve Kerr's right-hand man na comissão técnica do time. Nosso querido Leandrinho Barbosa, é o mais novo ‘Player Mentor Coach’, on the team's coaching staff. This is our beloved Leandrinho!
