Anderson Varejao, No Longer With LeBron James, Preps for Argentina

ISTANBUL -- Anderson Varejao was asked to compare Brazil-Argentina to an NBA rivalry. Lakers-Celtics, perhaps?

Cavaliers-Magic or Cavaliers-Celtics wasn't suggested, even though Varejao plays for Cleveland. The Cavaliers, you see, don't have any big rivals left now that LeBron James has bolted the team as a free agent for Miami.

Varejao is busy now trying to help his Brazilians, who face Argentina in a round-of-16 game Tuesday at the Sinan Erdem Dome, to a World Championship medal. But in three weeks he'll show up at a very different Cavaliers training camp.

Varejao, a big man who played the past six seasons in Cleveland with James as his teammate, is the longest-tenured Cavalier remaining after the departure of James and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who has followed James to Miami as a free agent. He and guard Daniel Gibson are the only players left from the 2007 Cleveland outfit that advanced to the NBA Finals and looked to be on the verge of eventually winning the team's first NBA crown.

"We lost a big player, one of the best players in the world,'' Varejao said of life in Cleveland without James. "But we know we can't be thinking about that. ... We've got to think about who is there now and try to do a good job this season.''

Varejao, though, admits it's going to be different. No longer will there be sellout crowds wherever the Cavaliers play. He doesn't know what kind of atmosphere to expect at Quicken Loans Arena.

"I'm not sure yet,'' he said. "We don't know how the fans are going to take (James leaving). I know they're very angry right now. Let's see when the season starts.''

Varejao tried to be diplomatic when asked if the fans are right to be angry at James, who left Cleveland by announcing his intentions on the universally panned television special "The Decision,'' and who was severely criticized by owner Dan Gilbert.

Varejao had a good relationship with James but also is loyal to Cleveland, where he has played his entire NBA career.

"I don't know if it's fair or not,'' Varejao said. "LeBron did a lot for that town and, of course, when you lose a LeBron everybody is going to feel that. But it is what is. I'm not the guy that's going to say that's fair or not to have to be angry at LeBron.

" I don't know if it's fair or not. LeBron did a lot for (Cleveland) and, of course, when you lose LeBron everybody is going to feel that. ... I'm not the guy that's going to say that's fair or not to have to be angry at LeBron. "
-- Anderson Varejao
on LeBron James "He was a big part of that team. I'm not disappointed in him. It's his decision. He chose to go to Miami. It's his career and he knows what is best for him. ... Whatever he thinks is the best for him, I just wish good luck for him.''

Varejao hasn't talked to James since his departure but has spoken with Ilgauskas, who was his best friend on the Cavaliers.

"I just hope that (Ilgauskas) can have a good season, and we're going to have a good season,'' Varejao said.

That might be tough. Cleveland's most significant offseason acquisition was guard Ramon Sessions, who has a career scoring average of 10.0, barely a third of what James put up in his seven seasons.

For now, Varejao is worrying more about Brazil in the Worlds. He missed the first three games of the event due to a sprained right ankle, including Brazil's 70-68 loss to Team USA last Monday, but has returned to play the past two.

"It's still not 100 percent,'' said Varejao, who has averaged 3.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 23.5 minutes in his two games back since suffering the injury in an Aug. 18 exhibition game. "But I'm feeling pretty good.''

Varejao, who did grab 12 rebounds last Thursday against Croatia, was pleased to have four days off before the big game against long-time rival Argentina. Adding more intrigue, Brazil coach Ruben Magnano is from Argentina and coached the nation to the 2004 Olympic gold medal in Athens.

"Before we started the game (last Thursday against Croatia), he was watching the Serbia-Argentina game (on television),'' said Brazil guard Leandro Barbosa. "It was kind of weird because he was cheering for Argentina.''

But Magnano will be solidly behind Brazil on Tuesday.

"Now that I have been in Brazil, things have changed,'' said Magnano, who took over as coach of the national team last January. "A few months ago, I couldn't imagine that I could play against Argentina in the tournament. ... I have so many close contacts with the people and with the glory times.''

It's no doubt a heavyweight matchup. The soccer teams from the two South American nations have combined to win seven of the past 14 World Cups, but the rivalry extends to other sports and to many aspects of life.

"It's big no matter what it is,'' Varejao said. "It's a big rivalry. It doesn't matter what you play, it going to be a rivalry.''

Perhaps like Lakers-Celtics. Definitely no longer like Cavaliers-Magic or Cavaliers-Celtics.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson