Wlamir Marques

Wlamir Marques, also commonly known simply as Wlamir (born July 16, 1937 in São Vicente, Brazil) is a retired Brazilian basketball player and basketball coach. Marques is considered to be one of the best Brazilian basketball players of all time, and to have been one of the best players in the world during the nineteen-sixties. Alongside fellow countrymen Amaury Pasos, Algodão, and Rosa Branca, he led the best basketball generation Brazil ever had. At a height of 1.85 m (6'1") tall, he played at the small forward position. He was nicknamed "The Flying Saucer", and "The Blonde Devil".

Wlamir Marques
Retired Brazilian basketball player and basketball coach
Personal information
Born (1937-07-16) July 16, 1937
São Vicente, Brazil
NationalityBrazilian
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
NBA draft1959 / Undrafted
Playing career1953–1973
PositionSmall forward
Coaching career1961–1988
Career history
As player:
1953–1954Clube de Regatas Piracicaba
1955–1961XV de Novembro
1962–1972S.C. Corinthians Paulista
1973Tênis Clube de Campinas
As coach:
1961Limeira
1963–1964S.C. Corinthians Paulista women
1968XV de Novembro women
1970–1971S.C. Corinthians Paulista
1975Palmeiras
1977Hebraica
1981–1982São Caetano women
1987–1988Cerquilho
Career highlights and awards
As a player:
Medals
Representing  Brazil
Men's Basketball
Summer Olympics
1960 Rome
1964 Tokyo
FIBA World Cup
1959 Chile
1963 Brazil
1954 Brazil
1970 Yugoslavia
Pan American Games
1963 São Paulo
1955 Mexico City
1959 Chicago
FIBA South American Championship
1958 Chile
1960 Argentina
1961 Brazil
1963 Peru
1955 Colombia

Along with Kresimir Cosic, Marques is one of the top two medalists in FIBA World Cup history, having won 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. The Ginásio Poliesportivo Wlamir Marques arena is named after him, in his honor.

Club career

At the club level, Marques played as a junior with São Vicente, and at the senior level with XV de Novembro, S.C. Corinthians, and Tênis Clube Campinas. He won the Brazilian League in 1965, 1966, and 1969, with S.C. Corinthians. He won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup's 1965 Test Cup championship, a game in which he scored 51 points.[1][2]

National team career

Marques played for the senior men's Brazilian national team, and with them he won the 1959 FIBA World Championship and the 1963 FIBA World Championship gold medals. He was the MVP of the 1963 FIBA World Championship. He also won silver medals at the 1954 FIBA World Championship and 1970 FIBA World Championship.

He won bronze medals at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games and the 1964 Summer Olympic Games, a silver medal at the 1963 Pan American Games, and bronze medals at the 1955 Pan American Games and 1959 Pan American Games.[3]

Post-playing career

After his basketball playing career ended, Marques worked as a head basketball coach. He then worked as a sports commentator for basketball games on ESPN Brasil, and has been an active personality on the show called, "Brazilian Basketball Reborn", working as an important voice on TV and internet channels.

References
  1. Brazil legend Wlamir Marques helped lay foundation for FIBA Intercontinental Cup with 51-point explosion for Corinthians.
  2. Long, rich history of FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
  3. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Wlamir Marques Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
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