Walter Samuel "Edy"Tavares da Veiga (born March 22, 1992) is a Cape Verdean professionalbasketball player forReal Madrid of the SpanishLiga ACB and theEuroLeague. He was selected with the 43rd overall pick in2014 NBA draft by theAtlanta Hawks and has played internationally for theCape Verde national basketball team. Tavares receives praise as a physical phenomenon, standing 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) tall and possessing a 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) wingspan.[1]
After being scouted in his hometown, Tavares started playing forGran Canaria in 2009. He was drafted in the2014 NBA draft by theAtlanta Hawks where he played one season. In 2017, Tavares signed with Real Madrid where he reached stardom, winning twoEuroLeague titles and sixAll-EuroLeague Team selections, as well as several domestic accolades. Tavares is the EuroLeague's all-time leader in rebounds and blocks.
Tavares guided the Cape Verdean national team to their first-everWorld Cup in2023, and has played atAfroBasket in2013 and2021.
Tavares was born inCape Verde on the island ofMaio. His father was also tall, at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), and worked on shipping vessels which caused him to be away for long periods of time.[2] Tavares worked as a cashier in his grandmother's shop after school and played beach football as a hobby.[3] He did not play any basketball until he was 17 years old, and his talent was discovered by a German tourist who was on vacation in Cape Verde in 2009.[4][5] The tourist set up a meeting between Tavares and his friend, Raúl Rodriguez, who was a Spanish director of theCB Gran Canaria youth academy.[3] After Rodriguez received a photo that showed Tavares' size, they later met inPraia.[3] There, he had his first training; at the time, Tavares was 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m).[2]
He started playing at the Gran Canaria youth academy, where a second under-18 team was created to accommodate Tavares.[2]
From 2009 to 2011, Tavares played forCB Gran Canaria's junior team in theLiga EBA.[5] In 2011, he was loaned toUB La Palma of theLEB Oro for the 2011–12 season. In 2012, he returned to Gran Canaria and made hisLiga ACB debut on January 6, 2013. He also played three games for La Palma in 2012–13 as well.
In April 2013, Tavares declared for the2013 NBA draft[6] but later withdrew his name and returned to Gran Canaria for the 2013–14 season.
On June 19, 2014, Tavares re-signed with Gran Canaria on a three-year deal,[7] while still remaining eligible for the2014 NBA draft.[8]
On June 26, 2014, Tavares was selected with the 43rd overall pick in the2014 NBA draft by theAtlanta Hawks, becoming the first Cape Verdean-born player to be drafted in the NBA.[9] On August 26, 2014, it was announced Tavares would return to Gran Canaria for the 2014–15 season.[10] During their 2014–15 season, Tavares earnedAll-EuroCup First Team honors.
On July 6, 2015, Tavares joined the Atlanta Hawks for the2015 NBA Summer League.[11] Three days later, he signed a multi-year deal with the Hawks.[12] He made his debut for the Hawks on October 29 recording one point and one rebound in a 112–101 win over the New York Knicks.[13] During his rookie season, using the flexible assignment rule, Tavares received multiple assignments to theAustin Spurs,Canton Charge andBakersfield Jam of theNBA Development League.[14] On October 31, 2016, he was waived by the Hawks after appearing in one game for the team in the 2016–17 season.[15]
On November 12, 2016, Tavares was acquired byRaptors 905 of theNBA Development League.[16] On February 6, 2017, he was named in the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the 2017 NBA D-League All-Star Game.[17] At the season's end, he was named the recipient of theNBA Development League Defensive Player of the Year Award.[18]
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On April 12, 2017, Tavares signed with theCleveland Cavaliers.[19] He made his debut for the Cavaliers that night, recording 10 rebounds and six blocks in a 99–83 loss to theToronto Raptors.[20] Tavares did not play at all in the 2017 playoffs due to a hand injury.[21] The Cavaliers made theFinals, but lost to theGolden State Warriors in five games. On October 11, 2017, Tavares was waived by the Cavaliers.[22]
Shortly after getting waived by the Cavaliers, Tavares returned to Raptors 905, ultimately playing only one regular season game for them, scoring 13 points, with 10 rebounds and 3 blocks vs. theGrand Rapids Drive on November 5, 2017.
On November 10, 2017, Tavares signed withReal Madrid until the end of the 2019–20 season.[23][24] In May 2018, Real Madrid won the2017–18 EuroLeague championship, after defeatingFenerbahçe in thefinal game with 85–80.[25] Over 17 EuroLeague games, Tavares averaged 6.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Tavares won the 2018–19 ACB season with Madrid. In the2018–19 EuroLeague, he was named theEuroLeague Best Defender.
On September 21, 2019, Tavares set an individual record for most blocks in aSpanish Supercup game, with 7 blocks in the semi-final againstFuenlabrada.[26] Real went on to win the Supercup for a second year in a row. The season was suspended due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
In the 2020–21 season, Tavares was named to theAll-EuroLeague First Team for the first time in his career. He was also named theEuroLeague Best Defender for the second time in his career.
In the EuroLeague, Tavares made a second straight All-EuroLeague First Team selection.
In June, Tavares won his thirdLiga ACB championship. On June 19, 2022, he had a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds in Game 4 of the finals; the 81–74 win overBarcelona clinched Madrid's title.[27] Tavares was named theACB Finals MVP after the series in which he averaged 13.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 20 index rating per game.[28]
Tavares opened the season by helping Madrid win their 5th consecutiveSupercopa de España and was named MVP after his 24-point and 12-rebounds performance on againstBarcelona in the final.[29]Tavares crowned his season by winning the Euroleague Final 79-78 against Olympiakos, being namedEuroLeague Final Four MVP for scoring 13 points and collecting a game-high 10 rebounds.
Tavares played with theCape Verde national basketball team atAfroBasket 2013. The following seven years, Tavares did not represent his country due to his club's incompatible dates with the FIBA tournaments.[30] Tavares was again on the roster of Cape Verde forAfroBasket 2021. On August 25, 2021, Tavares recorded 20 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks in a shocking overtime victory overAngola;[31] during the last minute of the game, Tavares shattered the backboard with a game-tying dunk, causing a delay in game.[32] He helped his country reach the fourth place in the tournament, while individually he was named to the All-AfroBasket Team as well.[33]
In February 2023, during the last window of the2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers, Tavares joined Cape Verde again and helped the team qualify for its first-everWorld Cup.[34] Cape Verde became the smallest nation to ever to qualify for a World Cup.[35]
| 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 | PIR | Performance index rating | |
| Bold | Career high | † | Won aEuroLeague championship | * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Atlanta | 11 | 0 | 6.6 | .579 | .000 | .375 | 1.9 | .3 | .1 | .6 | 2.3 |
| 2016–17 | Atlanta | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.000 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 0 | 24.0 | .750 | .000 | .000 | 10.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | |
| Career | 13 | 0 | 7.8 | .625 | .000 | .273 | 2.5 | .3 | .1 | .9 | 2.5 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18† | Real Madrid | 29 | 23 | 17.4 | .682* | — | .623 | 5.3 | .5 | .4 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 10.6 |
| 2018–19 | 34 | 28 | 19.4 | .794* | — | .632 | 6.2 | .7 | .4 | 1.7* | 7.4 | 13.4 | |
| 2019–20 | 28* | 28* | 22.9 | .680* | .000 | .653 | 7.1 | .8 | .6 | 2.2* | 7.2 | 14.5 | |
| 2020–21 | 36 | 31 | 26.0 | .651 | — | .716 | 8.0* | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.8* | 11.4 | 18.1 | |
| 2021–22 | 35 | 34 | 23.0 | .689 | .000 | .737 | 7.5 | 1.0 | .9 | 1.7* | 10.9 | 18.4 | |
| 2022–23† | 40 | 38 | 25.0 | .676 | — | .780 | 6.9 | 1.5 | .9 | 2.2* | 11.2 | 18.0 | |
| 2023–24 | 34 | 33 | 22.9 | .607 | — | .738 | 6.5 | 1.4 | .7 | 1.5* | 9.4 | 14.9 | |
| 2024–25 | 40 | 37 | 23.3 | .738 | — | .722 | 6.6 | 1.2 | .7 | 1.2 | 10.2 | 15.2 | |
| Career | 276 | 252 | 22.6 | .685 | .000 | .710 | 6.8 | 1.0 | .7 | 1.7 | 9.4 | 15.5 | |
| Season | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | UB La Palma | LEB Oro | 21 | 6.7 | .552 | .000 | .333 | 1.7 | .0 | .2 | .5 | 1.6 |
| 2012–13 | Herbalife Gran Canaria | Liga ACB | 12 | 5.6 | .500 | .000 | .667 | 2.2 | .2 | .2 | .5 | 1.5 |
| 2013–14 | 35 | 20.7 | .593 | .000 | .722 | 6.8 | .3 | .5 | 1.5 | 6.0 | ||
| 2014–15 | 36 | 22.0 | .583 | .000 | .628 | 7.9 | .3 | .8 | 1.8 | 8.0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Real Madrid | 36 | 20.6 | .674 | .000 | .582 | 6.3 | .5 | .4 | 2.2 | 7.9 |
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