It was a bumpy ride for Lucas “Bebe” Nogueira during his four seasons with the Toronto Raptors.
At times, the long-limbed, seven-foot centre stood out on both ends of the floor, but often he seemed out of place while adjusting to the nuances of the NBA game, and out of rhythm after logging wildly inconsistent minutes.
With his rookie contract expiring at the end of last season, the Raptors elected not to re-sign the 26-year-old Brazilian, and now Nogueira has reportedly landed with Fuenlabrada of the Spanish ACB league.
Nogueira was drafted 16th overall in 2013 by the Boston Celtics, but he was traded twice on draft night — first to the Dallas Mavericks, and then to the Atlanta Hawks. After playing for the Hawks’ 2013 summer-league squad, he never suited up for the NBA club. The Raptors then acquired him and Lou Williams in exchange for John Salmons and a second-round pick after the 2013–14 season.
Nogueira appeared in 141 games for the Raptors. In 2016–17, he played a career-best 19.1 minutes per game and swatted 1.6 shots a night.
Last season, he finished third in the NBA in blocks per 36 minutes with 3.5. On some nights, he flashed brilliance, like this 17-point (seven for eight from the field), nine-rebound, five-block performance against Portland in October when he got the start in place of an injured Jonas Valanciunas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dau2y8kzJKY
On the flip side, Nogueira often struggled to stay out of foul trouble, and there were mild concerns with his ability to shake off mistakes.
Still, it’s pretty surprising that another NBA team wouldn’t be interested in rolling the dice with him as at least an overqualified third-string centre, if not even a potentially dangerous backup five.
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This will be his second stint in Spain’s top league. Prior to joining the Raptors, Nogueira spent several seasons with CB Estudiantes, both with their junior club as far back as 2009 and at the league’s top level before coming to the NBA.
His return to Spain comes with a bit of controversy. Following early reports of his signing with Fuenlabrada, his old club, Estudiantes, released a statement claiming they still held legal rights to Nogueira. When the team couldn’t provide proof, their dispute was quickly quashed.
Nogueira is poised to make an immediate impact in the Spanish league, where his size, length, shot-blocking, and ability to finish at the rim make him a potential force down low. And at the very least, he’ll remain one of the more interesting characters in pro basketball.
