Brazilian Oscar Schmidt, one of the greatest names in world basketball and record holder for points at the Olympic Games, died today at the age of 68, the local federation said in a statement.
According to local press, Schmidt had been fighting cancer since 2011 and, despite being stable, this Friday he ended up being rushed to a hospital in São Paulo, with his death declared shortly after.
Known as the ‘Holy Hand’, Schmidt scored 49,737 points throughout his long career (1974 to 2003)a world record that remained until it was surpassed by the American LeBron James, in 2024.
The former winger participated in five Olympic Games and remains the top scorer in Olympic history, with more than a thousand points.
Schmidt played in Brazil, Italy and Spain and turned down the opportunity to reach the North American League (NBA) in 1984, despite being selected that year by the New Jersey Nets.
