.jpg) Melo playing with Syracuse in 2012 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1990-06-20)June 20, 1990 Juiz de Fora,Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Died | February 11, 2017(2017-02-11) (aged 26) Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sagemont (Weston, Florida) |
| College | Syracuse (2010–2012) |
| NBA draft | 2012: 1st round, 22nd overall pick |
| Selected by theBoston Celtics | |
| Playing career | 2012–2017 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 13 |
| Career history | |
| 2012–2013 | Boston Celtics |
| 2012–2013 | →Maine Red Claws |
| 2014 | Texas Legends |
| 2015–2016 | Liga Sorocabana |
| 2016–2017 | Brasília |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Fabricio Paulino de Melo ([faˈbɾisjupawˈlinudʒiˈmɛlu]; June 20, 1990 – February 11, 2017) was a Brazilian professionalbasketball player. He played one season in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) for theBoston Celtics before returning to his home country and playing forLiga Sorocabana andBrasília of the BrazilianNovo Basquete Brasil (NBB). Prior to entering the NBA in 2012, he played two years of college basketball forSyracuse, where he was named theBig East Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.
Melo arrived in the United States in 2008 and enrolled atSagemont School inWeston, Florida.[1] After graduating from Sagemont in 2010, Melo joined theSyracuse Orange men's basketball team. He spent two seasons playing for head coachJim Boeheim at Syracuse and was part of the Orange team that went 34–3 overall and 17–1 in the Big East in 2012. Melo averaged 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in the 2011–12 campaign. He was suspended twice during the season, once for three games during the regular season and again for theNCAA tournament due to academics. Melo's academic eligibility was also part of the NCAA investigation in which the Syracuse program self-imposed a postseason ban for the 2014–15 season. Melo claimed he was failing because he didn't understand English.[2] Despite these issues, Melo was named theBig East Defensive Player of the Year.[3]
In April 2012, Melo declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility.[4][5]
On June 28, 2012, Melo was selected by theBoston Celtics with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the2012 NBA draft.[6] On July 3, 2012, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Celtics.[7] He played six games in the NBA for Boston during the 2012–13 campaign, but mostly spent the year in theNBA Development League with theMaine Red Claws. On December 22, 2012, in Maine's 85–78 loss to theErie BayHawks, Melo recorded a triple-double and set a new NBA Development League record for blocked shots in a game with 14; he also had 15 points and 16 rebounds to register just the third triple-double in team history.[8] At the end of the season, he was named to the NBA D-League All-Defensive First Team and All-Rookie First Team.[9]
On August 15, 2013, Melo was traded to theMemphis Grizzlies in exchange forDonté Greene.[10] He was later waived by the Grizzlies on August 30, 2013.[11] On September 10, 2013, Melo signed with theDallas Mavericks,[12] but he was ultimately waived on October 22.[13]
On January 22, 2014, Melo was acquired by theTexas Legends of the NBA Development League.[14]
On August 1, 2014, Melo signed with Brazilian teamClub Athletico Paulistano of theNBB.[15] However, he never appeared in a game for Paulistano. On April 7, 2015, he signed withCaciques de Humacao in Puerto Rico,[16] but soon left before appearing in a game for the team.
In November 2015, Melo signed withLiga Sorocabana for the remainder of the 2015–16 season.[17] In June 2016, he signed withBrasília.[18] He played in six games for Brasília during theLiga Sudamericana de Básquetbol and appeared in one regular season game on November 30, 2016.[19]
Melo died on February 11, 2017, at the age of 26. He was pronounced dead at home inJuiz de Fora,Minas Gerais, Brazil; sources state that he went to sleep and was discovered dead the following morning by his mother. It was later discovered after an autopsy report that he had suffered a heart attack.[20][21]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | Syracuse | 33 | 24 | 9.9 | .607 | – | .360 | 1.9 | .2 | .3 | .8 | 2.3 |
| 2011–12 | Syracuse | 30 | 30 | 25.4 | .566 | – | .633 | 5.8 | .7 | .5 | 2.9 | 7.8 |
| Career | 63 | 54 | 17.3 | .576 | – | .553 | 3.8 | .5 | .4 | 1.8 | 4.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Boston | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .250 | .5 | .0 | .3 | .3 | 1.2 |
| Career | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .250 | .5 | .0 | .3 | .3 | 1.2 | |
and Basketball Reference
