Oscar Schmidt, Basketball Hall of Famer from Brazil, dies at 68

BasketballOscar Schmidt, Basketball Hall of Famer from Brazil, dies at 68The Olympian and Basketball Hall of Famer died after a more than 15-year battle with a brain tumor, the family said.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Oscar Schmidt of Brazil during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 18, 2026, 11:21 AM EDTBy Francie EbertBasketball Hall of Famer Oscar Schmidt, known in Brazil as “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand), died Friday at the age of 68.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.His family shared that Schmidt had been battling a brain tumor for more than 15 years. In a statement, they said he faced the illness “with courage, dignity and resilience … while remaining a role model of determination, generosity and love of life.” His legacy, the family added, transcends sport and continues to inspire generations of athletes and fans in Brazil and around the world, according to the Associated Press.Schmidt never played in the NBA, yet became one of the most prolific scorers in international basketball history. He competed in five Olympic Games, appeared in four World Cups, and was a central figure on the Brazilian national team that defeated the United States at the 1987 Pan-American Games — the first time a U.S. team had lost a home tournament to international competition. Brazil won 120–115, with Schmidt pouring in 46 points.His scoring records remain untouched. He put up 55 points against Spain at the 1988 Olympics and 52 against Australia in 1990 — both Olympic single-game records — and retired as the all-time leading scorer in Olympic history with 1,000 career points. The 6-foot-8 guard represented Brazil in every Olympic tournament from 1980 through 1996, earning the nickname “Mão Santa” for his exceptional three-point shooting.Schmidt earned the nickname “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand) for his exceptional three-point shooting abi...