Wlamir Marques
Wlamir Marques, also known simply as Wlamir, was a Brazilian basketball player and coach who 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 1960s. Alongside fellow countrymen Amaury Pasos, Algodão, and Rosa Branca, he led the best basketball generation Brazil ever had. At a height of tall, he played at the small forward position. He was nicknamed "The Flying Saucer", and "The Blonde Devil".
Along with Kresimir Cosic, Marques is one of the top two medalists in FIBA World Cup history, having won two gold medals and two silver medals. He was named one of FIBA's [50 Greatest Players |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 |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.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 FIBA [World Cup MVP|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 Basketball at the 1963 [Pan American Games|1963 Pan American Games], and bronze medals at the 1955 Pan American Games and 1959 Pan American Games.