Brazilian Basketball legend Oscar Schmidt dies aged 68

Brazilian great Oscar Schmidt has died at age 68, his press office said on Friday without providing details about the cause of his death.

Schmidt had been hospitalised in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area after feeling ill, his press office said in a previous statement.

A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2013, Schmidt enjoyed a 30-year professional career spent in local teams and in Europe.

One of the greatest three-point shooters in history, Schmidt holds the record for the most points in Olympic tournament history (1,093) and most in a single Olympic Games (55).

Schmidt led Brazil to victory over the U.S. in the 1987 Pan American Games final, only the second time the U.S. lost the tournament and the first on home soil.

His shooting accuracy earned him the nickname "Holy Hand," a label he was always keen to challenge, recalling the countless hours he spent on the court practising shots.

Schmidt’s family said in a statement that Schmidt fought a brain tumor for 15 years “with courage, dignity and resilience … while remaining a role model of determination, generosity and love of life.”

“Oscar leaves a legacy that transcends sport and inspires generations of athletes and admirers in Brazil and worldwide.”

It is pertinent to mention that he was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the 1984 NBA Draft; he declined the offer because it would have required him to step away from the Brazilian team.