Franca (1998–2002) From 1998 to 2002, Varejão played for
Franca Basquetebol Clube in the city of
Franca, São Paulo. After averaging 17.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in the first half of the 2001–02 season with them, he signed with
FC Barcelona Bàsquet of the
Liga ACB in January 2002.
Barcelona (2002–2004) In nine
EuroLeague games, Varejão averaged 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. In two regular season Liga ACB games, he averaged 4.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 steal per game. In 2002–03, Varejão appeared in four regular season Liga ACB games for Barcelona, averaging 8.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. While he did not play in the 2003 Liga ACB playoffs, Barcelona, led by
Juan Carlos Navarro,
Šarūnas Jasikevičius and
Dejan Bodiroga, won the Liga ACB championship. Varejão also played in 22 EuroLeague games (starting in one), helping Barcelona to their first ever EuroLeague championship. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Varejão later scored a point in the EuroLeague championship game against Benetton Treviso. On July 23, 2004, Varejão, along with
Drew Gooden and
Steven Hunter, were traded to the
Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for
Tony Battie and two future second-round picks. As a rookie, Varejão came off the bench in 54 games and averaged 4.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.8 steals in 16 minutes played per game. He had a season-high 14 rebounds in a 84–71 victory over the
Utah Jazz on January 15, 2005, and a season-high 14 points on March 26 in a 117–86 loss to the
Dallas Mavericks. Varejão ranked first in the NBA in steals per turnover (1.58), fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (6.1), second among rookies in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (6.1), and fourth in total rebounds per 48 minutes (14.3). Varejão had a season-high 14 points on two occasions and a career-high 18 rebounds in a narrow 100–99 victory over the
Atlanta Hawks on April 19, 2006. On February 21, 2006, fans at
Quicken Loans Arena attempted to break the
Guinness World Record for "most people wearing wigs in a single venue" when 20,562 fans wore
wigs given away before the game in celebration of Varejão's unique hairstyle. All of the fans in attendance were instructed to put the wigs on during a timeout. However, it does not appear that the fans were successful, as the
Philadelphia Flyers now claim to have the wig wearing record with 9,315. As a major contributor during the Cavaliers' 2006 playoff run, Varejão averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds (equating to 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per 36 minutes played) to go along with 0.2 assists and 0.7 steals in 18.3 minutes per game.
2006–08: Playoff upsets In the 2006–07 season, Varejão received increased minutes from head coach
Mike Brown. In 81 games played (six starts), Varejão averaged 6.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. He was a staple on defense as he took 99 charges in the season, which was the most in the NBA. Varejão was also tied with
Al Harrington for eighth in the NBA in personal fouls (269) and was eighth in the NBA's Defensive Rating. On December 11, 2006, Varejão had a then career-high 17 points in a 95–89 loss to the
New Orleans Hornets and a season-high 17 rebounds (including a career high nine offensive rebounds) in a narrow 99–98 loss to the
Utah Jazz on February 14, 2007. Varejão played in all 20 of the Cavaliers' playoff games, averaging 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 22.4 minutes per game. He had a playoff high 14 points and a career playoff high 14 rebounds in a Game 2 79–76 loss to the
Detroit Pistons during the Eastern Conference Finals. In the 2007 offseason, Varejão became a
restricted free agent, and he did not sign a contract with the Cavaliers at the start of the
2007–08 NBA season. On December 4, 2007, Varejão signed a two-year, $11.1 million offer sheet (with a player option for a third year at $6.2 million) with the
Charlotte Bobcats. Under the NBA's collective bargaining rules, the Cavaliers had a week to match the offer sheet, which they did on December 5. In 48 regular season games (13 starts), Varejão averaged career highs in minutes (27.5), rebounds (8.3), offensive rebounds (2.8), and assists (1.1). On January 11, 2008, he had a season-high and career-high tying 18 rebounds on January 11 in a 113–106 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, a career high six assists on March 8 in a 103–95 victory over the
Indiana Pacers, and a season-high 17 points (tying his career-high) in a 118–114 victory over the Bobcats on April 2. In 13 playoff games, Varejão averaged 4.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and a then career playoff high 0.7 assists in 18.5 minutes. Varejão finished the 2008–09 season playing in 28.5 minutes per game and averaged 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.9 steals in 81 games and 42 starts. On July 9, 2009, Varejão reached an agreement with the Cavaliers to sign a six-year contract worth $42.5 million. On December 30, he recorded 14 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks while also making the game-winning three-pointer in a 106–101 victory over the
Atlanta Hawks – his only successful three-pointer in 43 career attempts. Despite only starting in seven games during the 2009–10 season, Varejão still averaged 8.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.9 steals playing 28.5 minutes per game in 76 games. The Cavaliers once again made the playoffs, where they eventually lost to the
Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Varejão was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team at the end of the season. Varejão became the Cavaliers' starting center in the 2010–11 season. In 31 games and starts, he played in 32.1 minutes per game, averaging 9.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, but was forced to miss the rest of the season due to a torn tendon in his foot, which Varejão suffered during a 120–105 loss to the
Toronto Raptors on January 5, 2011. In the 2011–12 season, Varejão was the starting center again. On January 31 against the Celtics, he set his then career high with 20 rebounds on while also adding 20 points in the 93–90 loss. However, Varejão suffered a broken wrist in a narrow 113–112 loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks 10 days later, causing him to miss the rest of the season. In 25 games and starts, Varejão averaged 10.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in 31.4 minutes per game. During the 2012–13 season opener, a 94–84 victory over the
Washington Wizards on October 30, 2012, Varejão returned from injury and nearly acquired a
triple-double, recording nine points, a career high nine assists, and a then career high 23 rebounds. Two weeks later against the
Brooklyn Nets on November 13, he scored a career-high 35 points while also recording 18 rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the 114–101 loss. However, on January 21, 2013, it was announced that Varejão would miss the rest of the season after being hospitalized due to a blood clot in his lung. Over 25 games and starts in the 2012–13 season, Varejão had career-highs, averaging 14.1 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 31.4 minutes.
2013–16: Final years in Cleveland In the 2013–14 season, Varejão started in only 29 games for the Cavaliers as the team had
Andrew Bynum in the first half of the season and
Spencer Hawes in the second half. After starting early on in the season, Varejão lost his spot in mid-November to Bynum before reclaiming it in late December after Bynum was suspended indefinitely by the team. On January 2 against the
Orlando Magic, Varejão had 18 points and a career-high 25 rebounds in the 87–81 overtime victory. In January, Bynum was traded to the
Indiana Pacers and the Cavaliers acquired Hawes from the
Philadelphia 76ers in February. Around this time, Varejão was sidelined for a month with back soreness. He returned in March and came off the bench for the rest of the season. Varejão played in 65 games and finished the season averaging 8.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals in 27.7 minutes per game. On October 31, 2014, Varejão signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension with the Cavaliers. He had been having a good offensive season as
LeBron James' favorite pick-and-roll partner, shooting 55 percent from the field and averaging 10.0 points and 6.6 rebounds. However, during a 125–104 victory over the
Minnesota Timberwolves on December 23, Varejão tore his Achilles and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the 2014–15 season. Varejão finished the season playing in 24.5 minutes per game and averaged 9.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.7 steals in 26 games and starts. The Cavaliers reached the
2015 NBA Finals, where they lost to the
Golden State Warriors in six games despite a 2–1 lead. Varejão returned from injury in time for the narrow season-opening 97–95 loss to the
Chicago Bulls on October 27, 2015. After averaging 2.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.4 steals in 10 minutes per game over 31 games and no starts, Varejão and a future first-round draft pick were traded to the
Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a future second-round pick on February 18, 2016. However, Varejão was waived by the Blazers immediately upon being acquired.
Golden State Warriors (2016–2017) On February 22, 2016, Varejão signed with the
Golden State Warriors. He made his Warriors debut two days later and played averaged 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 0.2 steals in 8.5 minutes per game over 22 games and no starts to finish the regular season. The
2015–16 Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games to eclipse the 72 wins set by the
1995–96 Chicago Bulls. They also reached the
2016 NBA Finals after overcoming a 3–1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals when they defeated the
Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. During the NBA Finals, the Warriors faced Varejão's former team, the
Cleveland Cavaliers. According to the
Elias Sports Bureau, Varejão became the first player in NBA history to play for both NBA Finals teams in the same season. The Warriors lost to the Cavaliers in seven games despite a 3–1 lead. Varejão was offered a
championship ring, but he declined as he played for the opposition. In July 2016, Varejão re-signed with the Warriors on a one-year deal. On February 3, 2017, he was waived after playing in 6.6 minutes per game and averaging 1.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 0.2 steals in 14 games and one start. The Warriors went on to win the NBA Finals in 2017, and Varejão was offered a championship ring as a result, which he accepted.
Flamengo (2018–2019) On January 17, 2018, Varejão signed a 20-month contract with
Flamengo. He played the second half of the 2017–18 season and then continued on with Flamengo for the 2018–19 season.
Return to Cleveland (2021) On May 4, 2021, Varejão signed a 10-day contract to return to the
Cleveland Cavaliers. The team was granted a hardship exception to acquire him. Ten days later, Varejão signed another 10-day contract. He finished the season playing in 7.2 minutes per game and averaged 2.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in five games and no starts.
Retirement Following the 2020–21 season, Varejão announced his retirement from professional basketball. On August 14, 2024, it was announced that Varejão would be inducted into the
Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame on October 15. == Executive career ==