Oscar Schmidt – The Greatest of All Time

Until recently, “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand) was one of Oscar Schmidt’s nicknames. His shooting accuracy justified this supernatural association, but the player never liked the name. 

“It makes it seem like it’s by chance,” he said in an interview. And he continued, “I train hard – this is the result of my work.” In fact, Oscar is the greatest male basketball player from Brazil to date.  The most successful, the most famous, the most efficient. 

He began his career with Palmeiras at the age of 17, and his talent was soon noticed. When he arrived at Sírio in 1978, he was already a regular pick for the Brazilian national team.

Aged 20, Oscar had significant international experience: he was on the team that came third in the World Championship in the Philippines that same year.

At Sírio, he teamed up with another talented player: Marquinhos. Together, they were responsible for many titles and victories. It was common to see Sírio face off against Francana in basketball broadcasts during the late 1970s/early 1980s, with the duo always shining.

After four years playing for the São Paulo club, Oscar had already established himself as a star in national basketball and left to take on a bigger challenge: playing abroad.

He had no problem adapting to life outside Brazil; quite the contrary. Between 1982 and 1990, Oscar played in Italy for JuveCaserta Basket.

While he was winning titles and scoring points in the Italian Championship, he continued to be called up for the Brazilian national team.

Over time, Oscar became Brazil’s most important player, even receiving offers to play in the NBA, which he declined in order to keep being called up.

Until 1995, already 18 years into his career, Oscar continued playing abroad and was regularly called up to play games for Brazil. This overseas cycle ended in 1995 when he accepted an offer from Corinthians, and he remained on the São Paulo team until 1997.

If there is a female basketball player who holds a status similar to Oscar’s in the men’s game, it is Hortência. In 1996, they both won the Best in Basketball award, playing for Brazilian teams.

After a triumphant 20-year career, Oscar retired from the Brazilian national team in 1996. In total, he played 326 matches between 1977 and 1996.

Oscar’s first experience in public office was as the municipal secretary of sports in São Paulo, invited by then-mayor Celso Pitta. He remained in this position for about two years.

Oscar’s son, Felipe, played with his father but did not pursue a career in basketball, instead becoming a director of music videos.

Always maintaining his positive image and openly discussing his condition without hesitation, the former player managed to overcome the disease. In 2016, fully recovered, Oscar spoke at the forum ‘The Future of Fighting Cancer’ at the Tuca Arena theater in São Paulo.