NBA.com : Nenκ Bio Page
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Background

2005-06:
Missed the final 81 games of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee after just three minutes of action against the Spurs on opening night (11/1) … Had successful surgery on 11/21.

2004-05:
Played in 55 games, starting 18 times … Averaged 9.6 ppg and 5.9 rpg in 23.9 minutes … Averaged 12.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.2 apg and 1.05 spg in 28.9 minutes, while shooting .570 (94-165) from the field as a starter … Shot better than .500 (.503) for the third-straight season … Scored in double figures 24 times, including three games of 20+ … Pulled down 10+ rebounds eight times and recorded seven double-double … Led the Nuggets in rebounding nine times … Tied a season-high with 21 points and added 13 rebounds and four assists vs. Portland on 4/19 … Made a career-high 10 field goals (10-16) … Had 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Memphis on 4/15 … Previous high for boards was 13 (four times) … Was 10-14 from the free-throw line vs. Seattle on 4/9, setting new career highs for makes and attempts … Tied a career high with four blocked shots (fifth time) vs. New York on 2/1 … Grabbed his 1,000th career rebound at LA Lakers on 11/2 … Missed 27 games due to injury … Was on the injured list from 2/14-3/20 due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and missed 13 games … Was suspended four games (1/17-1/23) by the NBA for an altercation vs. Minnesota on 1/14 … Missed two games (12/14-12/15) due to a right hip contusion … Missed eight games (11/4-11/19) due to a strained left hamstring.

2003-04:
Played and started in 77 games … Averaged 11.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg – both career-bests … Also averaged 1.51 spg in 32.5 minutes … Ranked fourth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (.530), finishing in the top 10 for the second year in-a-row … Scored in double figures in 53 games, including six with 20 or more … Grabbed at least 10 rebounds in 12 games and posted 12 double-doubles … Led or tied for team lead in rebounds 17 times and assists five times … Nuggets were 17-5 when he scored 15+ points … Had a career-high eight assists against the Lakers on 2/25 … Tallied 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists, six steals and two blocks in 37 minutes vs. Portland on 2/2 … Steals were a career high … Had a season-high tying three blocks twice (at Utah, 1/20; vs. Memphis, 12/22) … Had back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his career vs. Utah on 1/9 (25) and at Sacramento on 1/11 (20) … Scored a career-high 25 points (19 in first half) on 9-of-10 shooting vs. Utah on 1/9 … Previous high was 24 vs. Utah on 1/15/03 … Registered a double-double in the first half with 14 points and 10 rebounds and finished with 16 points and 11 boards vs. New Orleans on 12/16 … Tied career-high (third time) with 13 rebounds vs. Cleveland on 12/2 … Missed five games (11/18-11/25) due to a strained left groin … Tied career-high with 13 rebounds at Chicago on 11/10.

2002-03:
Averaged 10.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg and a team-high 1.59 spg in 80 games … Started 53 times, averaging 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 1.60 spg … Was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team … Finished sixth in Rookie of the Year balloting … Scored in double figures 44 times with six games of at least 20 … Grabbed at least 10 rebounds 13 times and posted nine double-doubles … Led the Nuggets in scoring six times, assists five times and rebounding 19 times … Ranked second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding … Ranked sixth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.519) and 20th in steals … Led all centers and international players in steals; ranked second among rookies … Set a Nuggets rookie record for field goal percentage … Also ranked among the top five in points (fifth/839), rebounds (fourth/491), steals (second/127), free-throws made (fourth/197), free-throws attempted (second/341) and minutes (fifth, 2,258) … Did not play against the Clippers on 4/12 due to a left low back strain … Did not dress at Sacramento on 12/6 due to a strained neck … Tied a career high (fourth time) with four blocked shots vs. Phoenix on 4/8 … Scored 23 points vs. Dallas on 3/24 … Points tied the second-most of his career … Had four steals in at Miami on 3/8, marking the 11th time he’s had at least four … Had 23 points and 10 rebounds vs. New Orleans on 2/28 … Had a career-high six assists at Portland on 1/28 … Had six points, four rebounds and four steals in 18 minutes in the got milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Atlanta …Tied a career high with five steals in a career-best 43 minutes at Boston on 1/24 … Scored a career-high 24 points vs. Utah on 1/13 … Tied a career high with five steals vs. Houston on 1/11 … Had 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds at Seattle on 1/3 … Scored 10 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out a team-high four assists in 28 minutes in his NBA debut at Minnesota on 10/30 … Averaged 9.8 ppg (second on the team), 4.5 rpg and 1.00 bpg in 20.0 minutes in four games at the 2002 Rocky Mountain Revue … Shot .708 (17-24) from the field.

2001-02 (Brazil):
Through the first 15 games of the 2001-02 season, averaged 13.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 1.7 bpg in 30.0 minutes … Was third in the league in rebounding and blocked shots, and was shooting .667 from the field … Grabbed season-high 17 rebounds vs. Minas and grabbed 16 vs. Bandeirantes … Notched season-high five blocked shots vs. Uniara … Improved his free throw shooting dramatically, shooting .680 percent after hitting only .580 a year ago ... Was an early entry candidate for the 2002 NBA Draft … Showed his potential in 2001 Goodwill Games in Australia … In the game against the gold meal winning USA Basketball Team comprised of young NBA players, collected eight points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots before fouling out in only 18 minutes as Brazil lost in overtime, 106-98 … A vital member of the Brazilian National Team, he helped Brazil secure the bronze medal at the Goodwill Games.

2000-01 (Brazil):
As an 18-year-old playing for Vasco da Gama, averaged 7.9 ppg and 5.9 rpg in only 20 minutes per game.

PLAYOFFS:
2005: Appeared in all five playoff games vs. San Antonio, averaging 6.6 ppg and 5.0 rpg in 20.2 minutes … Scored 11 points to go with five rebounds in Game 5 … 2004: Appeared in all five playoff games vs. Minnesota, averaging 7.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.00 spg in 26.4 mpg … Struggled with foul trouble the entire series guarding Kevin Garnett … Had 14 points, three rebounds and four assists in the Game 3 win … Tallied 11 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes in Game 4.


Personal

  • Name is pronounced (neh-NAY).
  • Legally changed his name to Nenκ in the summer of 2003.
  • Given name is Maybyner Rodney Hilario.
  • “Nenκ”, means baby in Portuguese – he is the youngest in his family and was the youngest in the group of kids he hung out with.
  • Played soccer as a child and was invited to train with pro clubs at a young age.
  • Plays the bass guitar.
  • Grew up in Brazil idolizing Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
  • Has a 7'4 3/4" armspan.
  • Favorite meal is feijoada – a Brazilian black bean stew.
  • Has one brother and one sister and a newborn niece.
  • Enjoys comedies and action movies.
  • Favorite actor is Jackie Chan.
  • Enjoys listening to Brazilian gospel music.
  • Favorite musician is jazz artist Fred Hamilton.
  • Wears size 17 shoes.
  • Continues to do public service announcements for the United Nations.
  • Established a foundation to build a youth center in his hometown of Sao Carlos which provides educational and athletic resources to underprivileged children in the surrounding community.
  • Participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders in South America in the summer of ’03 and ‘04.
  • Participated in an Adidas skills camp in Sao Paolo in 2005.
  • Sponsors over 50 athletes in his hometown ranging from basketball, cycling, tennis and soccer.
  • Has his own website, Nene31.com.
  • Has donated season tickets to underprivileged families each of the last two seasons.
  • Took part in the Nuggets “Eat Right” program, which promotes healthy eating habits for middle school students.
  • Participated in youth basketball clinics at Aurora Public Schools and the Boys and Girls Club.
  • Has a Labrador named Dora.
  • Favorite sports teams are Sao Paulo (Brazilian soccer) and FC Barcelona.
  • Favorite players are Ronaldinho and Ronaldo.
  • Favorite movie is “The Protector”.