Since the beginning of the 1980s, when the NBA entered a fifth gear of professionalization and became one of the main leagues (of any sport) in the world, it is said that the best basketball players on the planet have passed through there. One was missing: Oscar Schmidt (1958-2026).
Out of love for the Brazilian team, Oscar turned down an invitation in 1984 to play for the New Jersey Nets — at the time, professional athletes could not play for the team, a rule that fell in the 1992 Olympic Games, the year of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s Dream Team, and when the Brazilian was already 34 years old.
If in 1984 the Americans —creators of the sport— already knew the young Brazilian’s extra-class talent, this humble scribe discovered it a little later, in 1987, the year of the Pan American Games in Indianapolis.
In the final, Brazil faced the invincible American university students. Yes, just non-professional students from the USA were enough to take gold in practically any competition, with exceptions. And playing at home, so…
If it took just one game to summarize all of Oscar’s characteristics as an athlete, that final was the game. Before the end of the first half, the Americans, with David Robinson (future champion with the San Antonio Spurs) were winning with some ease.
Oscar started making three-point baskets, his main brand. In some cases, he waited for contact and even had a bonus offer — Stephen Curry and James Harden would be jealous.
In my affective memory, Brazil turned towards the end. In fact, Brazil overtook the Americans with a three-pointer from Oscar, scoring 83 to 80. The final score was 120 to 115, 46 points from Oscar — and another 31 from Marcel, a supporting actor worthy of the protagonist.
However, it wasn’t just the points, Mão Santa’s behavior was equally remarkable. With every basket in the second half he jumped, screamed, punched the air, like a football player does for a goal. In the end, when victory seemed certain, Oscar must have spent some time crying… and scoring.
Crying, three-pointers, unshakable perseverance on the court and joy. That was Oscar.
At the time, that victory was classified by many as the greatest Brazilian triumph since the 1970 World Cup trifecta.
But, to see Oscar in action, it was only with the selection. The athlete spent the best years of his career, between 1982 and 1997, playing in Europe.
When he returned to Brazil, he played for the masses. He won titles at Corinthians and Flamengo, teams with fans who could celebrate their baskets like goals.
But that 1987 final was fundamental in rewriting the history of the sport. After the lost final —in addition to the bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Games—, the rules were changed to allow professionals to play. Bird, Magic and Jordan should thank Oscar.
Maybe they were grateful. In Barcelona-1992, the Dream Team overpowered all of its opponents, including Brazil, with the veteran Oscar, by an inescapable 127 to 83. At the end of the match, the Americans, tied to every match, spoke to Oscar as an equal. The Americans took the gold, but the best scorer of the Games was Mão Santa.
Yes, “if” should not be used to evaluate sports results or careers. That said, if Oscar had gone to the NBA, it’s possible his name would now be among the league’s greatest scorers, like LeBron James; or that Stephen Curry hadn’t yet scored the highest three-point goal. And it would certainly be recognized as one of the greatest in the world.
