Imago
Dec 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts against the Phoenix Suns during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Imago
Dec 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts against the Phoenix Suns during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
A basketball legend beyond borders, Oscar Schmidt has passed away. He was 68. A scoring juggernaut, the Brazilian sports titan had the chance to dominate in the NBA. Instead, he terrorized some of the NBA veterans on the global stage. Steve Kerr has a fond memory of his encounter with the iconic ‘Holy Hand.’ Schmidt had been battling a brain tumor for 15 years. But none of that was visible in a prolific career. Most NBA fans now remember him when LeBron James surpassed his 49,737 career points that stood as the world record in 2024. His persona was only magnified with stories like the one Steve Kerr revealed.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Ahead of a high stakes matchup against the Phoenix Suns, Steve Kerr ended the pre-game presser with an unprompted tribute to Schmidt. “I want to give my condolences to Oscar Schmidt’s family. You mentioned Gui [Santos], and it reminded me of reading the news today. He was one of the greatest shooters I’ve ever seen in my life. Just no conscience, just a little bit, you know, of the Steph Curry mentality. Never ever thought twice about letting it fly. Just a beautiful player and with an incredible mentality.”
Kerr doesn’t allow Steph Curry comparisons that lightly. So his words reflect the greatness of Oscar Schmidt. Te Warriors coach also shared a deeply personal story from the 1986 FIBA World Championships that perfectly encapsulated the character of the man known as “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand).
Top Stories
“On a personal note, I played against him in 1986 in the World Championships and I tore my ACL against Brazil.” In a moment of absolute sportsmanship, the 6’9″ Schmidt (who has about half a foot over Kerr) helped him out. “He literally picked me up, carried me off the floor and it was an incredible gesture on his part.” The ‘incredible gesture’ was revived by the Warriors’ Brazilian fans below who were beyond moved by Kerr’s tribute.
O momento citado pelo Steve Kerr https://t.co/zh4eM0XZHm pic.twitter.com/wGFwadvHYZ
— Warriors Club BR (@WClubBR) April 18, 2026
The 1986 tournament in Spain was a turning point for both men, but for Kerr, it was nearly a career-ending tragedy. During a matchup against Brazil, the young Arizona product suffered a devastating torn ACL. As he collapsed on the floor in agony, it wasn’t a trainer or a teammate who reached him first. It was his opponent, Oscar Schmidt.
For Kerr, that 1986 encounter was the start of a lifelong respect for the Brazilian sniper. “Just a beautiful player and with an incredible mentality,” Kerr remarked. “Only 68, and the guy was absolutely beloved in Brazil. So to all our Brazilian fans, I just want to say my condolences and from the Warriors, we’re feeling for you.”
Kerr would bounce back from that injury and two years later enter the NBA draft, going on to win five championships as a player. Schmidt had by then taken a hard pass on the NBA. But as Kerr noted, the Holy Hand’s humanity off the ball was more striking.
Oscar Schmidt redefined basketball in one decision
According to a statement by the Schmidt family, Oscar Schmidt died on April 17, 2026, after a 15-year-long courageous battle with a brain tumor. He is widely considered the greatest basketball player to never play in the NBA, though not for a lack of talent.
A NBA lamenta profundamente o falecimento de Oscar Schmidt, lenda eterna do basquete brasileiro e um dos maiores nomes da história do esporte que tanto amamos.
Oscar chegou a ser selecionado no Draft da NBA de 1984, mas optou por seguir defendendo a Seleção Brasileira, pela qual… pic.twitter.com/4vk6W90np7
— NBA Brasil (@NBABrasil) April 17, 2026
Before he was playing against a young Steve Kerr, Oscar Schmidt had the chance to be in the Michael Jordan draft class of ’84. The New Jersey Nets even selected him. But international NBA players were barred from representing their home countries back then. Instead of going professional, Oscar, however, chose to stay in his home country of Brazil and elevate the sport there. His sacrifice made him a national deity in Brazilian sports.His resume on the Brazilian national team was undeniably impressive. He is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic history with 1,093 points, competing in five separate Games (1980–1996). He remains one of the few players to ever score 40+ points against Team USA, a feat he accomplished during Brazil’s historic gold-medal victory over the Americans at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis.
We can only imagine what Schmidt’s Stephen Curry-like shooting would’ve been like during the Bulls dynasty. It would be a little off-beat though because Shaquille O’Neal once helped Michael Jordan off the court the same way and MJ told him to never help an opponent. So maybe the Holy Hand was way ahead of the NBA but he was where he needed to be.
As the basketball world mourns the loss of its most prolific scorer, Kerr’s story serves as a reminder that Schmidt’s legacy wasn’t just built on his “Holy Hand,” but on the humanity he displayed helping his opponent.
