Oscar Schmidt dies at 68: Brazilian basketball legend was one of the game's most prolific scorers
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By James Herbert
Published on April 17, 2026.
Oscar Schmidt, a legendary Brazilian basketball player who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, has died at the age of 68. Known as "The Holy Hand," Schmidt began his professional career at 16 and retired at 45. He holds the all-time record for points scored in the Olympic Games (1,093) and at the FIBA World Cup (906). He is also the second-highest scorer in professional basketball history, behind LeBron James. Schmidt was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 1984 but chose to continue playing in Italy and for the Brazilian national team instead of signing an NBA contract.
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