On Thursday morning (7), FlaBasquete's new point guards were introduced at the club's adidas store. Before the press conference, point guard Humberto and point guard Ricardo Fischer arrived at the club, got to know the facilities and the history of Mais Querido, visiting FlaExperience, Flamengo's interactive exhibition. Already aware of the club's greatness, both declared that it was a dream come true to play for the Gávea team.

At the jersey presentation, there was a surprise: two Flamengo fans presented the Sacred Mantle to the reinforcements, who were called by the Vice President of Olympic Sports, Alexandre Póvoa. The department's executive director, Marcelo Vido, also met with reporters.

Athlete profile
Ricardo Fischer, born on May 16, 1991, began his career at Círculo Militar and played for Hebraica, Club Sion-Herens (SUI), Barueri, São José, and Bauru. His career includes titles in the 2013 and 2014 Paulista Championship, the 2012 LDB Championship, the 2014 South American Club Championship, and the 2015 League of the Americas. Playing for the Brazilian national team, he won the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Humberto, born on February 7, 1995, began his career at age 10 with Banespa. He then moved to Círculo Militar and played for Pinheiros before arriving at Gávea. He won bronze in the Basketball Development League (LDB) with Pinheiros, finished runner-up in the Liga das Américas, and has played for the youth and professional national teams.

Check out the full press conference:

Ricardo Fischer
"I thank Póvoa and Vido for their kind words, their welcome, and their confidence in my work. I'm coming off a serious injury. As Póvoa said, all players enjoy and want to spend at least part of their lives at Flamengo. It's no different for me. I've never hidden my desire to play for Flamengo. I've already experienced the club's greatness through social media, with the affection of the fans. I'm doubly anxious: to return to playing and to meet the red-and-black fans. I'm recovering and very happy, and I'll be ready to play soon. It's great to wear this shirt."

"I've been playing with Marquinhos, Olivinha, and Marcelinho for years on the national team. They've always told me what it's like to play for Flamengo, and I'm sure they'll help me fit in well with the team. I also know Neto from the national team, and I know how the team likes to play. That's important for a point guard. The adaptation should be quick."

"I'll do anything to win. The fans can expect that from me. If I need to score, score... I think much more about the team than myself. The most important things are the victories and the titles. I'm very confident about my recovery. The pressure of winning is good pressure. I came here for this, to continue competing for titles. I hope everything goes well this year."

- I watch a lot of basketball, I study a lot. I'm a very organized point guard, I like to serve players the way they prefer, but I'm also a great scorer. I have a good shot after the pick-and-roll; I think that's my strength. And I have good vision to find the big shooters.

Humberto
"I also have to thank Alexandre and Marcelo for the opportunity. It's very rewarding for me to be here. I'm very young, but since I was ten years old, when I started playing, I've seen Flamengo games, the affection of the fans, the packed gym. I never stopped believing I wanted to play here, and today I'm realizing a dream, alongside great players and a great coaching staff. We have a great year ahead of us."

"I believe that not being able to come to Flamengo last year made me mature a lot. I lived at a club for six years where I knew everyone and was always treated very well, but I had to be professional, even though I wasn't any happier at Pinheiros. I really wanted to come to Flamengo. But now I'm more mature and prepared."

"Marcelin is an excellent player. He played great in the final and is playing at a high level at 41. Competing for a position is normal. I respect him, but I'll definitely look for my place, without harming anyone on the team, of course. Whoever plays better will get the spot alongside Neto."

- My strong point in attack is the infiltration which, besides being able to give me the basket, gives me the chance to find great outside shooters, which Flamengo has.

Alexandre Póvoa
"We're starting another season, another cycle. We managed to renew our sponsorship with Estácio, SKY left, but we're looking for another. The Incentive Law was renewed. As part of the team's restructuring, we were looking for reinforcements at positions 1 and 2. In the case of position 2, Humberto, it was supposed to happen last year, but due to contract issues with Pinheiros, we respected the club and the signing didn't materialize. We regret it; I believe he would have been very important to the team last season. But the world changes, and today he's here. At position 1, we brought in a player who would certainly have been in the Olympics if he hadn't been injured: Ricardo Fischer. He's undoubtedly the best active point guard in Brazil; it's an honor for us to have him."

"Some players left by our choice, others by theirs. It's part of the process, and sometimes we're even "victims" of our own success; athletes stand out and gain exposure and interest. Our players are truly targeted. Nationally, playing for Flamengo is the pinnacle. Our obligation is to keep the team at a high level and very strong. I told them (Humberto and Fischer): "Get ready, because Flamengo is unlike anything you've ever experienced in your life." We have an obligation to always be protagonists. They are players with a winning spirit, who clearly want to win and be protagonists.

"We'll do everything within budget, and most of the players want to play here today, based on the work we've done in recent years and the club's tradition. Welcome to the athletes; this is the greatest club in the world. There's no point in saying it; you'll feel it. It's no wonder we're nicknamed the Pride of the Nation, which brings with it a huge responsibility. When Flamengo achieves synergy with its fans, it's almost unbeatable."

The sponsor that left wasn't the basketball team's main source of revenue. The situation is difficult; unfortunately, sports aren't viewed as highly by companies in Brazil. The other two-thirds of our revenue, from the Incentive Law and Estácio, is guaranteed. And we're trying to replace that. But it's a difficult economic time for the country. There are challenges, but talks are underway, and we hope to replace at least one sponsor soon. Therefore, our strategy for assembling the team is a little different. At least at the beginning of the season, we'll have a smaller squad, and we'll look for new additions later on. But you can be sure the team is coming along very strong.

Marcelo Vido
"Every year I say that the journey continues, and it really does. We always have to think about the future. We've won four championships in a row. Few teams, considering all sports, can achieve that, of course, considering balanced competitions. We always want the pressure to keep winning. We will have a strong and competitive team for the entire season. It's our mission, together with the coaching staff, within the budget set by the club. This year is different for everyone, given the current situation in the country. These two (Humberto and Fischer) are here to leave a balanced team, not only technically but also considering age. And we're still looking for more young reinforcements, so we can think about a balanced team in the medium and long term."

The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo adult basketball team relies on direct funding from its sponsor Estácio, in addition to investments from Tim via the State Sports Incentive Law/State Secretariat for Sports, Leisure and Youth (ICMS).