Charlie Villanueva Biography Charlie Villanueva bio Skills: Athletic, versatile big man who can play multiple positions and fundamentally do it all very good. He is a very fluid runner on the court and an excellent leaper. Can offensively score from practically anywhere (inside & outside). Has a very good shooting stroke, even from behind the 3pt arc. Showed acumen for passing. Great ball controller for height. Personal: He is the son of Roberto Villanueva and Doris Mejia. He suffers from Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune skin disease resulting in hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere in the body. The disease is actually relatively common, affecting over four million Americans. It is not a life-threatening disease, nor contagious. Most of Charlie’s family remains either in NYC or back in the Dominican Republic. Though having three older brothers and six sisters, Charlie mainly grew up and still lives in a household with his mother Doris Mejia, older brother Rob Carlos Villanueva, and his younger sister Genesis Villanueva. He is also real close with his cousins, aunts, uncles, and can’t forget grandma. Charlie has a special relationship with his older brothers. When Charlie finds himself some free time, you could without a doubt find him joking around and just hanging out with his brothers; they’re inseparable. Charlie’s not the only one in the family with basketball talent. Rob Carlos Villanueva has recently completed a great scholastic season at Queens College. Before Queens College, Rob transferred from Sage J.C. in Albany, NY, where, as captain, he averaged 25 points and 13 rebounds a game while leading the team to a 27-4 record. He was named first team All-Region. He also led Franklin K. Lane High School to the New York City PSAL Championship title in 1999, where he earned the MVP award of that game, which was played at the World’s Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. Rob is a terrific rebounded and defender who can score around the basket as well as step out and shoot. Rob is no longer reaching for the dreams of the NBA. He is now heading towards his true calling in the Media Productions field. And is working full-time at ESPN Broadcast Network Company and enjoys working on digital video projects during his spare time. Villanueva graduated in June 2005 with a Bachelors in Media Studies at Queens College. Charlie Villanueva, a first-generation American, son of Dominican immigrants, Roberto Villanueva (Dad) and Doris Mejia (Mom). A kid who grew up in the city streets of Queens, NY, which then moved around in the areas of New Jersey, yet now resides at Brooklyn, NY, which he calls home. If you asked Charlie Villanueva’s parents at his birth about their son’s destiny, basketball would probably not have been included in the answer. Charlie is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Elmhurst (Queens). Both of his parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic, where some of his family still lives at today. It is a country with a storied history and a seemingly endless pool of talented baseball players, including Charlie’s very own father. "My dad played baseball growing up in the Dominican - he was a catcher," Charlie says. "He made it to the pros, but got cut. Basically, until I was 10 I really thought I would be a baseball player." As Charlie speaks, his voice flows; it’s warm and thick with bass, laced with subtle Spanish inflections and unmistakably New York tendencies. There is something almost disarming about him. At a glance, Charlie seems to be like any other typical teenager; he often sports urban gear and his favorite rapper is Eminem. He doesn’t have a car or an entourage. His father works in an entry level position in real estate and his mother is a custodian’s assistant for the police department. He is unfailingly polite and well spoken, a basketball prodigy seemingly unaffected by all the hype and chaos surrounding him. When you look at Charlie you don’t immediately know what’s missing. His face is broad, his eyes piercing - deep set, so dark they’re nearly black. It is only when you look up that you realize he doesn’t seem to have eyebrows. For a moment you wonder if this is a conscious decision, maybe a new style. You want to ask about it, but aren’t sure if he wants to answer. He immediately puts you at ease and describes a condition called Alopecia. When he was around 10 years old, his hair started to fall out for periods of time, only to grow back again. This continued for a few years until he was 13, when it fell out permanently. He suffered from Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune skin disease resulting in hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere in the body. The disease is actually relatively common, affecting over four million Americans. Lucky for him, he’s chosen a sport where the bald heads of guys like Jordan and KG reign supreme. Another teenager may have felt awkward and ashamed. "I was already a freak of nature - big hands, big feet, towering over everyone," Charlie says. "If there was any 13 year old that could deal with this condition, it was me." Charlie’s selective complacency also seemed to extend to the classroom, so he left the comfort and security of Queens for Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ; 80 miles from New York City. Villanueva’s first year boarding at Blair was one of adjustment academically, athletically, and personally. "That first year was really hard. I left Queens to live at Blair. It was a totally different school environment than I was used to ... 400 students and I didn’t know one." Villanueva said. "But now I know it was the right decision. My grades went up and my game improved dramatically. It worked out for me both academically and basketball-wise. I’m very happy the way things worked out. I truly thank the God for the opportunity." School History • Elementary: P.S. 89 (Elmhurst - Queens, NY) • Junior High School: Middle School 210 (Ozone Park - Queens, NY) • High School: Newtown H.S. (Elmhurst - Queens, NY) • Prep School: Blair Academy (Blairstown, NJ) • College: University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT) For basketball phenomenon Charlie Villanueva, destiny isn’t a matter of chance, but a matter of choice. The lure of the NBA grew stronger and more tempting each day during his last days at school. The 6’11" wing/forward and possibly the most highly touted high-school senior not named LeBron James, was faced with a decision that many might wish for, yet few his age would be able to handle. His mind flip-flops, the whispers in his ear grew louder and louder with each passing day as he tried hard not to buy into the hype, but instead remains grounded ... dedicated ... HUNGRY. At age 12, Charlie had only been playing basketball for two years. He was young and gifted and slightly afraid. Destiny had made him 5’5" in the fifth grade, taking him away from baseball and landing him on the playgrounds of Queens. His growing process was a rapid one, growing an additional 7" over the Summer of 2000. Today, at 6’10", 230 pounds with the size of a forward and skills of a guard, Villanueva definitely fits the freak mold. He can operate in the post. He has 3-point range. He sees the floor well. He can bring the ball up and beat his defender off the dribble. He rebounds. He explodes to the basketball. In short, there isn’t anything he can’t do with the ball in his hands. At least not when he wants to. It’s a beautiful package put all together, yet its not a perfect one. The biggest knock on Charlie is his occasional lack of motivation. "I have a bad habit of playing to the level of the competition I’m playing against," he says. "I’m trying to get out of that. I’ve got to go out there with intensity, go out there and kill." "I feel like this past summer (2002) was my coming out party. I knew what I could do, what I was capable of, but I wanted everyone else to see it." And see it they did. Charlie’s summer was full of tournament championships and awards and a strong showing at the Adidas ABCD camp. That’s why the college life is awaiting with baited breathe to see what he will do, and why a half dozen NBA scouts descended on move while playing for the Long Island Panthers. Long Island Panthers coach Gary Charles coached another long lanky, bald-headed forward with awe-inspiring athleticism - Lamar Odom. Charlie hears the comparisons to Odom often. Both are from Queens, both make what they do look effortless. "I hesitate to compare players because expectations can get out of control, but he’s definitely reminiscent of Lamar," Charles says. "His versatile is the thing. He can do so many different things just like Lamar could. He can rebound, shoot the three, post up, throw passes, get assists." Villanueva hope fate will meet destiny and he’ll be a NBA dominant player. In skills and style, Villanueva is remarkably similar to Odom, right down his shiny pate. And just as Odom had Charles to watch over him, Villanueva also has a man in his life named Nate Blue, who’s not exactly a coach and not quite a family member, but who is active in the New York City basketball scene and has known Villanueva since he was 10. Nate Blue has knocked down many doors for Charlie and he is one of the reasons why Charlie is who he is today. In addition to Nate, it also helped that Charlie had older brothers who have been in the game of basketball at an early age to show him the way. Especially, older brother Rob Carlos (3 years older), who kept Charlie active playing with older players. "I use to put Charlie to work in the street courts or Queens & Brooklyn," Rob Carlos said. "If I couldn’t put him down in my team, I would have to take him back home, and that was a far trip; so he needed to learn the game quick in order to play with the bigger boys. And he sure did." With Villanueva’s size, agility and remarkable ball-handling skills, he is a virtual lock to fulfill his dreams, maybe sooner than expected. Spiritual Bible Verse: A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. -I Corinthians 12:7-11 Sports NBA Player (of all-time): Reggie Miller NBA Player (still active): Lamar Odom, & Tracy McGrady NBA Team (of all-time): Charlotte Hornets (1991-96 — back in the days) NBA Coach: Doc Rivers & Sam Mitchell College Team: University of Connecticut (UConn) College Player: Dee Brown (UI) College Coach: Jim Calhoun (UConn) Basketball Sneakers: Any Jordan’s (play), Nike Air Force 1 (chill) Sport to Watch (besides basketball): Baseball Sport to Play (besides basketball): Football Personal Hobbies: Hanging w/the Family, Reading, Video Games, and the Gym. Music Genre: R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae/Reggaeton, Latin, and a little Gospel Music Artist: 112 Video Game Console: PS2 & XBOX 360 Video Games: NBA Live, NFL Madden, NCAA Football Book: The Lord of the Rings School Subject: Physics & Computer Animal/Pet: Puppies TV Show: ESPN SportsCenter Cartoon: Tom & Jerry (keeping it old school) Movies: 8 Miles, Training Day, John Q, Hurricane, and Braveheart Actor: Denzel Washington Meal: Steak with Rice & Beans (no onions please) Pizza Topping: Pepperoni Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla Candy: Bubble Gum Cities to Visit: NYC, Toronto, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago Vacation Spot: Dominican Republic Season: Spring Holiday: Christmas Day Color: Navy Blue Charlie Villanueva links Charlie Villanueva website NBA Player Page
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