Brazil Men's National Basketball Team

From its inception to today, the Brazil men’s basketball team has been a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. The Brazilian Basketball Confederation (Confederação Brasileira de Basketball) administers the Brazil men’s basketball team.

The Brazil men’s basketball team started in the early 1930s when the sport started gaining popularity across the nation. The team quickly gained popularity and was established as a powerful force in the country. The team joined the International Federation of Basketball (FIBA) in 1935. Since then, this group has been actively participating in the basketball championships and is one of the most successful teams in the Americas. Brazil is the only team that has participated in every World Cup since 1950 aside from the United States.

Throughout its basketball journey, this team has played in 19 FIBA World Cups and has received gold medals in 1959 and 1963, silver medals in 1954 and 1970, and two bronze in 1967 & 1978. Brazil made its Olympic debut in 1936 and secured ninth position in this championship. Over the years, the Brazil men’s national basketball team has been a consistent presence at the Summer Olympics. Till now, they have played 15 Summer Olympic games.

History

Basketball was introduced to Brazil by Professor Augusto Shaw in 1896. The first state tournament was organized in 1912 and made their debut at the games against Argentina and Uruguay in 1922. Brazil made their international debut at the South American Championship in 1930 and finished third in this championship. The Brazil men’s national basketball team joined the International Basketball Federation in 1935. Since then, the team has consistently been a competitive force in the world of basketball. Their most significant achievement came in 1959 when they secured their first World title.

In recent years, Brazil has continued to showcase its expertise on the global stage. They have consistently qualified for major events and have been a force to be reckoned with in regional competitions such as the FIBA AmeriCup and FIBA World Cup. With a legacy built on a basis of willpower, skill, and unwavering willpower, the Brazil men’s basketball team keeps inspiring both aspiring athletes and enthusiasts around the world. As they carve their direction in the game’s history, their enduring impact on the global basketball community is sure to undergo for generations to come back.

Head Coach

Aleksandar Petrovic is the head coach of Brazil's men’s basketball team. Junior was appointed as the head coach of the team in April 2024. Petrovic is a Croatian player who also was the coach of the team. Petrovic was also the head coach of Brazil's men’s basketball team from 2017 to 2021. He guided the team to win 26 games in 33 games.

Legends

Ruy de Freitas

Ruy de Freitas was a professional basketball player and coach in Brazil. He participated in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1948. During his first championships in London, he finished with the third position, earning a bronze medal under the guidance of the head coach Moacyr Daiuto.

Oscar Schmidt

Oscar Daniel Bezerra Schmidt, commonly known as Oscar Schmidt is a former basketball player. Throughout his basketball career, he mostly played as the power forward and small forward. Schmidt was named the all-time leading scorer in the records of basketball and has scored 54,145 points in his basketball career. In addition to this, he holds the record for the longest professional basketball career and is the pinnacle scorer of the FIBA World Cup.

Leandro Barbosa

A former Brazilian professional basketball player, Leandro Mateus Barbosa is now serving as an assistant coach of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2007. Barbosa mainly played as a shooting guard in his basketball profession and also represented the Brazilian National Basketball team in several championships.

Anderson Varejao

Anderson Franca Varejao was a basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He mostly played with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In addition to this, Varejao played for four professional leagues including Franca and the Flamengo of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), Barcelona of the EuroLeague and Liga ACB and regularly played for the Brazil national basketball team. He won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2003.

Marcelo Huertas

A Brazilian professional basketball player, Marcelo “Marcelinho” Tieppo Huertas plays for Iberostar Tenerife of the Spanish Liga ACB. He holds Italian citizenship and is also a senior men’s Brazilian national basketball team member.

Roster (2024 Olympics)

Record- Last 10 Years

Summer Olympics

FIBA World Cup

Championships

The Brazil men’s basketball team has etched its name inside the annals of basketball history with a chain of wonderful triumphs and ancient titles. This team has participated in 15 Olympic games and earned three bronze medals in 1948, 1960 and 1964.

Additionally, the Brazil men’s basketball team has participated in several FIBA AmeriCup championships. They played in 19 FIBA AmeriCup championships and got the first spot on four occasions in 1984, 1988, 2005 and 2009. Moreover, the team has three silver and four bronze medals in FIBA AmeriCups. Brazil’s journey in the FIBA Basketball World Cup has been nothing short of remarkable. The team’s most significant achievement in the tournament came in 1959 when they achieved a historic victory, winning their first-ever World title. Since then, they have constantly performed admirably in the World Cup.