Bruno Caboclo will forever be remembered as one of the most surprising first-round draft picks in NBA history, but he’s proving to be a far better international player.
The former Toronto Raptor notched 33 points and 17 rebounds to lead Brazil to a 102-84 win over Japan on Friday in a battle of winless teams at the Olympics.
The six-foot-nine Caboclo became the first player at the Olympics to post more than 30 points and 15 rebounds in a game since Spain’s Clifford Luyk in 1972 against Germany, per FIBA.
Caboclo, 28, had a big block on Yuta Watanabe, another ex-Raptor, in the fourth quarter to help Brazil take charge.
The win allowed Brazil to keep its quarterfinal hopes alive as it awaits other results. The top two of three third-place teams advance to the knockout round.
Caboclo struggled badly in the first two games, combining for just six points and five rebounds.
The Raptors shocked basketball fans when they took the little-known Caboclo 20th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Caboclo stuck in the NBA through 2020-21, but was mostly an end-of-the-bench player with the Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets.
Caboclo played professionally in Serbia last season.
GREECE 77, AUSTRALIA 71
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had 20 points as Greece beat Australia in a battle of winless teams.
Thomas Walkup added 18 points for Greece, which now has to wait to see if it will qualify as a third-place team.
Jock Landale led Australia with 17 points.