The third interviewee in the "Free Throw" series arrived at Flamengo this season and has been winning the affection of the Red-Black Nation with consistent performances and a lot of enthusiasm wearing the Sacred Mantle. In an exclusive interview with the Official Website, power forward Leo Demetrio shares a bit of his story.

First contact with basketball

"My first contact with basketball was at the Military College of Curitiba. Contrary to what many people think, my journey in the sport didn't begin with basketball. I was a goalkeeper on the school team, and after being invited to a basketball practice, I fell in love with the sport."

The moment he realized he wanted to be a professional gamer

"I always watched NBA games and watched videos of highlights of my favorite players. At age 11, this passion and admiration turned into a dream. I visualized myself there, on TV, playing against the best players in the leagues I admired so much. And at 17, I realized my dream, playing professionally for the first time." 

The first game as a professional

"My first game as a professional player was in the 2011/2012 NBB, I was at Minas TC and we played against EC Pinheiros (SP). This match was very important for me, as it marked the beginning of my journey in the NBB and showed me that with a lot of work you are capable of achieving your dreams."

remarkable games

"The match for the Brazilian national team against Uruguay in São José dos Pinhais was very memorable. I'm from Curitiba, which is a neighboring city, and all my family and friends were there. It was very special to achieve this victory with them cheering me on."

Arrival at Flamengo

"My arrival at Flamengo was shortly after a period of pre-season training in the United States, and I remember being well received by everyone. I really liked the team's winning spirit, and we've already started preparing for the competitions.
My debut was against Niterói, in the Campeonato Carioca and with the victory I started to build more rapport with my teammates."

What could be decisive in winning the second Americas championship?

"Playing in a continental final is the opportunity to win a title that marks a player's career. To achieve this goal, we have to maintain our style of play and maintain our intensity on both sides of the court."

Moment that serves as inspiration for the grand finale

"The most memorable match in our entire Champions League campaign was the semifinal against Instituto de Córdoba at Maracanãzinho. We were trailing by 20 points and managed to turn the game around and secure a spot in the final. Everything that happened in that match influences the run-up to the Champions League final, because we believed in it and worked together to achieve this victory."

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – BRB, TIM, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and State Incentive Law/State Secretariat of Sports, Leisure and Youth (Seelje) of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC).