Cantù and Varese on the court in the name of Oscar Schmidt
Oscar Schmidt, who tragically passed away at just 68 years of age after a long battle with brain cancer, wrote basketball history by indelibly inscribing his name in the hearts of fans, enthusiasts and even players around the world. So also on Sunday, on the occasion of the Serie A derby between Cantù and Varese, the legendary ‘Holy Hand’ was celebrated by the White and Blue supporters with a heartfelt tribute in the stands. “Oscar, score from up there,” was in fact the tribute of the Brianza fans through a banner displayed during the minute of condolence dedicated to the legendary Brazilian.
A spontaneous and touching tribute, which is part of the vast condolence that has crossed the entire basketball world after the news of his passing. Schmidt’s family announced the death with a heartbreaking message, emphasizing how the Brazilian champion faced the disease “with courage, dignity and resilience, remaining until the end an example of determination, generosity and love of life.” A legacy, family members added, “that goes far beyond sports and will continue to inspire generations of athletes and fans in Brazil and around the world.” Words echoed by son Felipe’s message, “As a son, I only have to say, Dad, I will miss you. I will honor everything you taught me about how to be a man and try to be at least 10 percent of the human being you were. You have been an example of life for me and I will never forget you.”
Among the most moving voices in the Italian basketball world was Giacomo Galanda, who on Instagram wanted to remember how much Schmidt had helped bring entire generations closer to basketball: “There were several reasons why in Italy a boy fell in love with basketball in the 80s and 90s. Oscar Schmidt was certainly one of them. Go review his shooting technique: poetry! Go review his NBA Hall of Fame speech in full: funny and moving, like the moments when he enjoyed the presence of his idol Larry Bird. Thank you for the Special Person you were. I personally want to remember you in your own voice…SMILE AT BASKETBALL.”
Schmidt’s numbers tell of a greatness that is hard to match. In the Serie A he scored 13,957 points, an all-time record for a foreign player, averaging 34.6 points per game and peaks over 60. He is also the player – among those with at least 100 appearances – to have scored 50 or more points more times in a single match: as many as 28 times in 403 games. With the Brazilian national team, he participated in five consecutive Olympics, setting the record for all-time top Olympic scorer with more than 1,000 points. In 2013 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (Naismith Memorial), becoming the first Brazilian to receive this honor.
The bond with Italy, and particularly with Caserta, where he played for eight seasons from 1982 to 1990, remained unbreakable until the end. In an interview given in 2023, Schmidt had confessed all his attachment to the Campania city: “Do you know what it means to live eight years in the same place? A lifetime, only here it was possible. I was happy when I arrived in Caserta in ’82, because the dream of playing in Italy was realized.” The separation in 1990 was experienced with great bitterness: “They put a meaningless loser plaque on me. Loser to me, who won practically everything with clubs? Winning here would have been the crowning achievement of my career, but they didn’t let me. I stayed in Italy anyway: I cried and scored.” Caserta, for its part, retired his number 18 jersey and in 2016 awarded him honorary citizenship, a symbolic seal of a mutual love that has never faded.
