Augusto Lima completes Iñaki Martín's roster through the end of the season. A Brazilian-born center standing 2.08 meters tall and 34 years old, he brings extensive experience at the highest international level
After several weeks of turmoil following Iván Aurrecoechea's departure in the Madrid city, the club has announced its final signing to close out the roster with 11 players. With the arrival of "El Emperador," the Fuenlabrada squad has reinforced its paint and acquired a player with over 300 games of experience in Spain's top basketball division.
With the Primera FEB transfer deadline closing this Tuesday at 2:00 PM, the rumors that emerged yesterday about Augusto Lima's arrival at Flexicar Fuenlabrada have been confirmed. After his departure from San Pablo Burgos, the team he was competing with this season, the Madrid-based club announced the signing of the Brazilian on its social media channels.
Lima's profile brings a lot to a team coached by Iñaki Martín. With the center, the squad will strengthen its weakest position: the five. With the new addition, the team gains especially in the rebounding department, an area where Lima shines with his dominance on the boards. It is important to note that the player has been dealing with physical issues in recent years. These have been more prevalent in his career since the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injury he suffered in the 2022-23 season after his return to Málaga. Since then, the maximum number of games the big man has played in a season has been 16, a figure he reached last season with Leyma Coruña. In addition to this left knee injury, the Brazilian has suffered several calf muscle tears in his right leg.
These injuries, but especially the one from the 2022-23 season, have forced Lima to change his playing style on the court. In recent years, he has shown himself to be a less physically dominant player, but one who has adapted and compensated for that loss with smarter basketball. The center has used his veteran status and basketball knowledge to continue contributing on the floor. He stands out especially in his connection with the playmaker, whether through direct or indirect screens. It should be noted that this drop in physical dominance has affected the player in the ACB, where his numbers have declined. However, the context of Primera FEB could work in his favor, in a lower category where the physical profile of big men is also lower. This will mean Lima won't be as exposed and will find more situations to impose his experience and craft.
Where he may struggle most is in perimeter defense, due to his lack of lateral quickness, so the area where he suffers most is away from the basket or defending mismatches after a pick-and-roll. Still, Lima compensates first with excellent positioning and reading on defense and being a great intimidator in the paint. His interior defense is more than noteworthy; as a rim protector and paint defender, he has proven to be a very reliable player, so Fuenlabrada has secured solid defense.
Another notable aspect of Lima's signing is the duo he can form with Vítor Benite. Both Brazilians can raise the ceiling of this Flexicar Fuenlabrada, which is currently fighting to secure a playoff spot in a very tight Primera FEB. The samba that both players can bring to the court is truly the key to this move. Not only because they share nationality, but because they have coincided for many years, specifically more than 11, in the Brazilian national team, where they competed at the highest international level. Additionally, they were teammates on three occasions in the ACB (San Pablo Burgos and two seasons at UCAM Murcia).
This connection also transcends off the court, as both maintain a close relationship. Something that will undoubtedly help in the Brazilian's adaptation to Fuenla, a team that precisely stands out for its human core and the great relationship among players on and off the court.
With the arrival of Augusto Lima and a bit of luck to keep injuries at bay, Flexicar Fuenlabrada has found the perfect recipe to complete its roster for the 2025-26 season's final stretch. A final stretch that could become an upward curve and, who knows, perhaps deliver some surprises in the playoffs.
The key to this will be the next two matchdays of the competition, both away from home and against direct rivals in that fight. The teams Fuenla will face are CB Zamora and CB Oviedo, so Lima's debut could perhaps be seen in the next matchday on Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 PM at the Ángel Nieto Sports Pavilion.