Personal information | |
---|---|
Born |
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil |
February 16, 1958
Nationality | Brazilian |
Listed height | 6 ft 8.75 in (2.05 m) |
Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
Career information | |
NBA draft | 1984 / Round: 6 / Pick: 131st overall |
Selected by the New Jersey Nets | |
Playing career | 1974–2003 |
Position | Shooting guard / Small forward |
Career history | |
1974–1978 | Palmeiras |
1978–1982 | Sírio |
1982–1990 | Caserta |
1990–1993 | Pavia |
1993–1995 | Valladolid |
1995–1997 | Corinthians |
1997–1998 | Bandeirantes |
1998–1999 | Barueri |
1999–2003 | Flamengo |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
FIBA Hall of Fame as player | |
Medals
|
Oscar Daniel Bezerra Schmidt (born February 16, 1958) is a retired Brazilian professional basketball player. He is also known as Oscar Schmidt Bezerra in Spain, where he played for Fórum Valladolid for the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons, and simply Oscar, or Mão Santa (Holy Hand), in his homeland. Schmidt played the small forward position, was 2.05 m (6 ft 8¾ in) tall and weighed 102 kg (225 lbs). He was born in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
He is unofficially considered to be the all-time leading scorer in the history of basketball, with 49,737 career points scored (club play, plus national team play combined). He is also a record holder for the longest career span of a basketball player, and the top scorer in the history of the Olympic Games.
He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. On August 20, 2010, Schmidt was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, in recognition of his play in international competition. On September 8, 2013, Schmidt was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
While playing with Sírio of the Brazilian Basketball League, Schmidt won both the South American Club Championship and the World Club Championship in 1979.
He was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the sixth round of the 1984 NBA Draft, and had several other opportunities to play in the NBA, but declined them all in order to continue to play for Brazil's national team (until 1989, NBA players were not allowed to play for national teams).