On this day in Boston Celtics history, onetime Celtics floor general Leandro Mateus Barbosa was born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1982. The Brazilian Blur — as he is sometimes called for a nickname — got his start in the sport by playing basketball for Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, a Brazilian professional club based in his hometown at age 17 in 2001.
He quickly caught the attention of international scouts with his outstanding play, and was taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick, of the 2003 NBA draft but ended up being traded on draft night to the Phoenix Suns, where he would first make his mark in the Association.
Barbosa would play seven seasons with that club before being traded with Dwayne Jones to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Turkish forward Hedo Türkoğlu in 2010.
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He’d play another two seasons with that team before they dealt him yet again, this time to the Indiana Pacers, where he stayed one season before leaving in free agency to sign with the Celtics in 2012.
His tenure in Boston was brief in terms of games, however, after the Brazilian tore his ACL that February, ending his season and time with the Celtics.
He averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game with the team over 41 games.
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