Legendary Brazilian basketball player Oscar Schmidt has died in hospital at the age of 68, the NBA's official website reports. The former Olympic champion, who was three times named the best in Europe, has passed away.
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A statement from Schmidt's family said he battled a brain tumor for 15 years “with courage, dignity and resilience, while remaining a model of determination, generosity and love of life.”
He began his professional career in 1974, spending most of his time in his homeland and in Italy, where he became a childhood idol of future star Kobe Bryant. In 1984, the New Jersey Nets selected him in the sixth round of the NBA draft, he trained with them, but refused a contract, because at that time NBA players were not allowed to play for national teams. As a result, the Brazilian played in his homeland for Palmeiras, Sirio, Corinthians, Bandeirantes, Barueri and Flamengo, in Italy for Juve-Caserta and Pavia, and in Spain for Valladolid.
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Schmidt, nicknamed the Holy Hand, made his debut for the Brazilian national team at the age of 19 and participated in five Olympic Games from 1980 to 1996. He is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic history, with 1,083 points. In particular, the Brazilian was the leading scorer at the 1988 Games (42.3 points per game), 1992 and 1996.
Schmidt still holds the records for most points scored in a single game at the Olympics (55 against Spain in 1988) and World Championships (52 against Australia in 1990).
The victory at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis marked the first time an American team had lost a major international tournament on home soil. Brazil won 120-115, with Schmidt leading the scorer with 46 points.
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The Brazilian ended his career (the longest in professional basketball — 29 years!) in 2003 at the age of 45. Basketball's Pele overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and became the top scorer in the history of world basketball, and his result of 49,737 points for club and national team was beaten only by NBA legend LeBron James in 2024.
With legendary football player Pele
In 2010, Oscar Schmidt was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, in 2013 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2017 into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame.
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The shirt number of the three-time South American champion and World Cup bronze medalist was permanently retired at Juve Caserta, Pavia and Flamengo.
By the way, in 2016, Schmidt was one of 8 people who carried the Olympic flag to the Maracana Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Previously, “FACTS” reported that the legendary Soviet basketball player, who twice won the Olympic Games and survived the amputation of her leg, had died.
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