Four NBB6 champions from Flamengo have been called up to represent Brazil in the South American Basketball Championship. Gegê Chaia, Vitor Benite, Cristiano Felício, and rebounder Olivinha will represent the Red-Black Nation on the National Team. The competition will be held from July 24th to 28th on Margarita Island, Venezuela. In addition to Brazil, seven other teams will be competing for the title. This Friday, June 06th, NBB champion coach José Neto presented the list of 06 players.

Four years away from the national team due to an injury, power forward Olivinha cried when his parents called and sees this call as a crowning achievement after winning the NBB6 title.

"I was so happy to get this call after our perfect season at Mengão; it was like a coronation. I was very surprised and really didn't expect it. Several friends and family called me. When I spoke to my parents on the phone, I couldn't resist their expressions of pride, and we cried together. I'll have three teammates from the title and the NBB champion coaching staff representing the nation. This is all the fruit of our work, a reward," said Olivinha.

Focused on being among the 12 players who will travel to Venezuela, Olivinha says that among those called up, other potential power forwards are also fighting for a spot in the final team.

"Now I'm going to work hard to make it to the final group. There are other very strong players in my position. Then I'll think about starting and winning the title. One step at a time," says Olivinha.

The power forward also talks about the reaction of the entire FlaBasquete team after the call-up:
"I spoke to the team through a WhatsApp group and everyone was happy and congratulated us. The fun part was picking on Nico," he said about the joke with Nicolás Laprovittola, the NBB6 champion point guard who was called up by the Argentine national team.

In addition to the South American national team tournament, the team competing in the competition will serve as a base for the Basketball World Cup, to be held in Spain between August 30th and September 14th with 24 countries. The competition will be organized by FIBA ​​and will feature the best athletes in the world. After celebrating Flamengo's third NBB championship last Saturday, May 31st, with a 05-78 victory over Paulistano, the FlaBasquete team is preparing for the next season. The Rubro-Negra team will face Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel in the Club World Cup in October and will participate in two new NBA preseason games. The NBB73 is not scheduled to begin until November 7.