Brazil men's national basketball team


The Brazil national basketball team is governed by the Brazilian Basketball Confederation, abbreviated as CBB.
They have been a member of the International Federation of Basketball, since 1935. Brazil's national basketball team remains among the most successful in the Americas. It is the only team besides the United States, that has appeared at every FIBA Basketball World Cup, since it was first held in 1950.
Throughout its history, the Brazilian national team has won two FIBA World Cup gold medals, three Summer Olympic Games bronze medals, four FIBA AmeriCup gold medals, and six Pan American Games gold medals.

History

First steps

Basketball was initially introduced to Brazil by Professor Augusto Shaw in 1896. In 1912, he began organizing the first state tournament and in 1922 the first national team made its debut at games against Argentina and Uruguay. As in the case of football, South America was initially ahead of the rest of the world and in 1930 held the first edition of the FIBA South American Championship. In that decade, Brazilian basketball was supported by professional football clubs, to include it as a new sports section, although amateur in nature. Later, these clubs became professional and supported the national team with world-class players.

Initial success despite budget constraints

In the following years, Brazil became a regular at major international competitions. Its basketball squad participated in the first official basketball tournament at the Summer Olympics 1936 in Berlin. In 1939, the first continental championship was held in Rio de Janeiro. In the 40s, basketball was catching on more layers of society and left the elitist stigma. The sport received the ultimate accolade at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. There, against all odds, the team directed by Moacyr Daiuto managed to achieve the bronze medal. The team recorded six straight wins until it stopped due to the semi-final defeat to France. In the bronze medal match, Brazil beat Mexico. They managed to feature ten amateur players. The pre-Olympic Brazil concentration was very poor in resources. After its time-consuming journey to London, the team was astonishment when they saw how the U.S. team practiced: each player with a ball. Brazil only had two for the whole team.

The Kanela era

One of the fundamental pillars of Brazilian basketball was the boldness of its coaches. The "father" of them all is Togo Renan Soares, "Kanela". Working in the shadow of the giant football, Kanela understood that basketball would add more followers if it could only offer new emotions. He aimed to get the influential media involved, so the game was conceived as a spectacle based on its dynamism and aesthetics. The formula worked. Besides the national team, he coached Flamengo which chained ten titles Rio de Janeiro State Championships in a row. Born in Joao Pessoa, he also coached football, rowing and water polo. In his youth, he studied at a military college. His lengthy workouts alternated with authoritative teaching tone.

Rise to global dominance

The unstoppable rise of basketball was confirmed at the second World Championship in Rio. The Brazilian team, coached by Kanela, reached the final undefeated and proclaimed runner-up after losing to the global hegemonic basketball power from the U.S. That Brazilian team was equipped with experienced players who won the bronze medal at the 1948 London Summer Olympic Games, and supported through the arrival of two young men. These young men were Amaury Pasos and Wlamir Marques, 18 and 17 years old, respectively. The bet of the visionary Kanela would give tremendous returns in later years.
Ironically, the Brazilian player leap happened when the team was made up of willing and enthusiastic amateurs. These athletes, who were initiated into the game almost self-taught by imitation of American basketball players who had toured the country. The hard work of Kanela consisted of giving these players basic fundamentals and then lecture them on team concepts. Amaury and Wlamir were his most successful students. Especially their jump shots dazzled at the 54 FIBA World Cup. "Their scoring was smart and technically perfect." said the Brazilian journalist Fábio Balassiano.
Before playing basketball, Amaury, who measured 1.91 m tall, had practiced swimming, athletics and volleyball, which provided him with much athletic ability. Amaury began his career playing as a typical center and power forward, but he later learned to play away from the basket, and to play as a play maker. His partner, Wlamir, was another former track runner. Standing 1.85 m tall, Wlamir was a great shooter, had great ball handling skills, and enormous agility and jumping ability, which also helped him to become an excellent rebounder. Amaury and Wlamir fit well into Kanela's system: fast pace, quick transition, and full confidence in the outside shooters.
After three months of intense preparation at a Marine base, Brazil was presented at the 1959 FIBA World Championship in Chile, as a candidate for the podium. In addition to the U.S., a very tough opponent emerged that had been absent in the previous tournament: the Soviet Union, the 1957 EuroBasket champions and 1956 Summer Olympics silver medalists. Kanela had the following starting lineup: Amaury Pasos as play maker, Wlamir Marques and the 33-year old veteran, Algodão, as wings; and Waldemar Blatskauskas and Edson Bispo at power forward and center. To complete his 7-player rotation, Kanela mostly played his bench players, small forward Jatyr Schall and point guard Pecente Fonseca. There were some minutes also for the young forward Rosa Branca, who was a great ball handler, and who later received an offer to join the Harlem Globetrotters.

Recent years

In 2012, Brazil's top players included: Anderson Varejão, Tiago Splitter, Leandro Barbosa, Nenê, Marcelinho Huertas, Alex Garcia, Guilherme Giovannoni, Marcelinho Machado, and Marquinhos Vieira. Brazil has four NBA players in 2019: Bruno Caboclo, Cristiano Felício, Nenê and Raulzinho Neto.

Competition results

Olympic Games

FIBA World Cup

Pan American Games

FIBA AmeriCup

FIBA South American Championship

Team

Current roster

The 12-player squad for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.

Depth chart

Notable players

Other current players:

Past rosters


1936 Olympic Games: finished 9–14 among 23 teams
Aluízio "Baiano" Freire Ramos Accioly Neto, Américo Montanarini, Armando Albano, Ary "Pavão" dos Santos Furtado, Carmino de Pilla, Miguel Pedro, Nélson Monteiro, Waldemar "Coroa" Gonçalves
1948 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 23 teams
Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo, Ruy de Freitas, Affonso Évora, Alfredo da Motta, Marcus Vinícius, Alexandre Gemignani, Nilton Pacheco, João Francisco Bráz, Alberto Marson, Massinet Sorcinelli
1952 Olympic Games: finished 6th among 23 teams
Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo, Hélio "Godinho" Marques Pereira, Tião Amorim Gimenez, Ruy de Freitas, Mayr Facci, Raymundo Carvalho dos Santos, Angelo "Angelim" Bonfietti, João Francisco Bráz, Alfredo da Motta, Almir Nelson de Almeida, Mário Jorge, Thales Monteiro, Zé Luiz
1954 FIBA World Championship: finished 2nd among 12 teams
Amaury Pasos, Wlamir Marques, Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo, Alfredo da Motta, Thales Monteiro, Hélio "Godinho" Marques Pereira, Ângelo "Angelim" Bonfietti, Almir Nelson de Almeida, Wilson Bombarda, Mário Jorge, Mayr Facci, José Henrique de Carli, Jamil Gedeão, Fausto Sucena Rasga Filho
1956 Olympic Games: finished 6th among 15 teams
Amaury Pasos, Angelo "Angelim" Bonfietti, Edson Bispo dos Santos, Fausto Sucena Rasga Filho, Jamil Gedeão, Jorge Olivieri, Zé Luiz, Mayr Facci, Nélson Couto, Wilson Bombarda, Wlamir Marques, Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo
1959 FIBA World Championship: finished 1st among 13 teams
Amaury Pasos, Wlamir Marques, Waldemar Blatskauskas, Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo, Edson Bispo dos Santos, Jatyr Eduardo Schall, Carmo "Rosa Branca" de Souza, Otto Nóbrega, Waldyr Geraldo Boccardo, Pedro "Pecente" Vicente da Fonseca, José "Zezinho" Maciel Senra, Fernando "Brobró" Pereira de Freitas
1960 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 16 teams
Amaury Pasos, Wlamir Marques, Waldemar Blatskauskas, Zenny "Algodão" de Azevedo, Edson Bispo dos Santos, Antônio Salvador Sucar, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Carmo "Rosa Branca" de Souza, Jatyr Eduardo Schall, Moysés Blás, Waldyr Geraldo Boccardo, Fernando "Brobró" Pereira de Freitas
1963 FIBA World Championship: finished 1st among 13 teams
Amaury Pasos, Bira Maciel, Wlamir Marques, Waldemar Blatskauskas, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Jatyr Eduardo Schall, Carmo "Rosa Branca" de Souza, Antônio Salvador Sucar, Luiz Cláudio Menon, Friedrich "Fritz" Wilhelm Braun, Victor Mirshauswka, Benedito "Paulista" Cicero Tortelli
1964 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 16 teams
Amaury Pasos, Bira Maciel, Wlamir Marques, Edson Bispo dos Santos, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Antônio Salvador Sucar, Jatyr Eduardo Schall, Carmo "Rosa Branca" de Souza, José Edvar Simões, Victor Mirshauswka, Sérgio "Macarrão" Toledo Machado, Friedrich "Fritz" Wilhelm Braun
1967 FIBA World Championship: finished 3rd among 13 teams
Amaury Pasos, Bira Maciel, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Jatyr Eduardo Schall, Antônio Salvador Sucar, Hélio Rubens Garcia, José Edvar Simões, Sérgio "Macarrão" Toledo Machado, Luiz Cláudio Menon, José Luiz Olaio Neto, Cesar Sebba, Emil Rached
1968 Olympic Games: finished 4th among 16 teams
Sérgio "Macarrão" Toledo Machado, Wlamir Marques, Bira Maciel, Celso Scarpini, Hélio Rubens Garcia, Rosa Branca, José "Joy" Aparecido, Luiz Cláudio Menon, Antônio Salvador Sucar, José Edvar Simões, Zé Geraldo, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni
1970 FIBA World Championship: finished 3rd among 13 teams
José "Joy" Aparecido, Rosa Branca, Sérgio "Macarrão" Toledo Machado, José Edvar Simões, Wlamir Marques, Marquinhos Leite, Luiz Cláudio Menon, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Zé Olaio, Pedro "Pedrinho" César Cardoso, Bira Maciel, Hélio Rubens Garcia
1972 Olympic Games: finished 7th among 16 teams
Marquinhos Leite, Adilson Nascimento, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Hélio Rubens Garcia, Zé Geraldo, José "Joy" Aparecido, Washington "Dodi" Joseph, Luiz Cláudio Menon, Radvilas Gorauskas, Fransérgio García, Bira Maciel
1974 FIBA World Championship: finished 6th among 14 teams
Bira Maciel, Carlos "Mosquito" Domingos Massoni, Marcel de Souza, Hélio Rubens Garcia, Marquinhos Leite, Adilson Nascimento, Washington "Dodi" Joseph, Zé Geraldo, Lazaro Henrique Garcia, Roberto "Robertão" José Corrêa, Milton "Carioquinha" Setrini, Luiz "Peixotinho" Carlos de Almeida Peixoto
1978 FIBA World Championship: finished 3rd among 14 teams
Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Bira Maciel, Marcel de Souza, Hélio Rubens Garcia, Marquinhos Leite, Adilson, Milton "Carioquinha" Setrini Júnior, Julio "Julinho" Garavello, Roberto "Robertão" José Corrêa, Gilson Trindade de Jesus, Eduardo Agra, Marcelo Vido, Fausto Giannechini
1980 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 12 teams
André Ernesto Stoffel, Marcel de Souza, Marcelo Vido, Milton "Carioquinha" Setrini, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Adilson Nascimento, Gilson Trinidade de Jesus, José Carlos Saiani, Marquinhos Leite, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães, Wagner da Silva
1982 FIBA World Championship: finished 8th among 13 teams
Nilo Martins Guimarães, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães, André Ernesto Stoffel, Milton "Carioquinha" Setrini, Maury de Souza, Marquinhos Leite, Gilson Trinidade de Jesus, Marcel, Adilson Nascimento, Marcelo Vido, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Israel Andrade
1984 Olympic Games: finished 9th among 12 teams
Gerson Victalino, Israel Andrade, Marcel de Souza, Marcelo Vido, Milton "Carioquinha" Setrini, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Sílvio Malvezi, Adilson Nascimento, Eduardo Agra, Marquinhos Leite, Nilo Martins Guimarães, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães
1986 FIBA World Championship: finished 4th among 24 teams
Nilo Martins Guimarães, Maury de Souza, Gerson Victalino, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Rolando Ferreira, Paulinho Villas Boas, Jorge "Guerrinha" Guerra, Marcel de Souza, Marcelo Vido, Sílvio Malvezi, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Israel Andrade
1988 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 12 teams
Gerson Victalino, Israel Andrade, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Jorge "Guerrinha" Guerra, Luiz Felipe, Marcel de Souza, Maury de Souza, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Paulinho Villas Boas, Giant da Silva, Rolando Ferreira
1990 FIBA World Championship: finished 5th among 16 teams
Luiz Felipe, Israel Andrade, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Gerson Victalino, Fernando Minuci, Jorge "Guerrinha" Guerra, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães, Aristides Josuel dos Santos, Marcel de Souza, Maury de Souza, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Rolando Ferreira
1992 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 12 teams
Aristides Josuel dos Santos, Gerson Victalino, Israel Andrade, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Jorge "Guerrinha" Guerra, Marcel de Souza, Maury de Souza, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Paulinho Villas Boas, Rolando Ferreira, Fernando Minuci, Ricardo "Cadum" Cardoso Guimarães
1994 FIBA World Championship: finished 11th among 16 teams
Paulinho Villas Boas, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Márcio Faria de Azevedo, Maury de Souza, Aristides Josuel dos Santos, Joélcio "Janjão" Joerke, Fernando Minuci, Rolando Ferreira, André "Ratto" Luís Guimarães Fonseca, Rogério Klafke, Carlos "Olívia" Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, Antônio "Tonico" José Nogueira Santana
1996 Olympic Games: finished 6th among 12 teams
Demétrius Conrado Ferraciú, André "Ratto" Luís Guimarães Fonseca, Caio Eduardo de Mello Cazziolato, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Carlos "Olívia" Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, Caio da Silveira, Antônio "Tonico" José Nogueira Santana, Fernando Minucci, Aristides Josuel dos Santos, Rogério Klafke, Oscar "Mão Santa" Schmidt, Joélcio "Janjão" Joerke
1998 FIBA World Championship: finished 10th among 16 teams
Marcelinho Machado, André "Ratto" Luís Guimarães Fonseca, Caio Eduardo de Mello Cazziolato, João "Pipoka" Vianna, Sandro França Varejão, Demétrius Conrado Ferraciú, Hélio "Helinho" Rubens Garcia Filho, Marco "Chuí" Aurelio Pegolo dos Santos, Aristides Josuel dos Santos, Claudio Antonio Gomes Clemente, Rogério Klafke, Joélcio "Janjão" Joerke
2002 FIBA World Championship: finished 8th among 16 teams
Marcelinho Machado, Alex Garcia, Vanderlei Mazzuchini, Tiago Splitter, Sandro França Varejão, Demétrius Conrado Ferraciú, Hélio "Helinho" Rubens Garcia Filho, Anderson Varejão, Guilherme Giovannoni, Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, Rogério Klafke, Rafael "Bábby" Araújo
2006 FIBA World Championship: finished 19th among 24 teams
Marcelinho Machado, Nezinho dos Santos, Murilo Becker, Estevam Ferreira, Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, Marcelinho Huertas, Alex Garcia, Anderson Varejão, Guilherme Giovannoni, Caio Torres, Andre Bambú, Tiago Splitter
2007 FIBA Americas Championship: finished 4th among 10 teams
Marcelinho Machado, Nezinho dos Santos, Murilo Becker, Marcelinho Huertas, Alex Garcia, Valtinho da Silva, Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, J. P. Batista, Guilherme Giovannoni, Nenê, Marquinhos Vieira, Tiago Splitter
2009 FIBA Americas Championship: finished 1st among 10 teams
4 – Marcelinho Machado, 5 – Duda Machado, 6 – Diego Pinheiro, 7 – Carlos Olivinha, 8 – Alex Garcia, 9 – Marcelinho Huertas, 10 – Leandrinho Barbosa, 11 – Anderson Varejão, 12 – Guilherme Giovannoni, 13 – J. P. Batista, 14 – Jonathan Tavernari, 15 – Tiago Splitter
2010 FIBA World Championship: finished 9th among 24 teams
Marcelinho Machado, Nezinho dos Santos, Murilo Becker, Raul "Raulzinho" Neto, Alex Garcia, Marcelinho Huertas, Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, Anderson Varejão, Guilherme Giovannoni, J. P. Batista, Marquinhos Vieira, Tiago Splitter
2011 FIBA Americas Championship: finished 2nd among 10 teams
4 – Marcelinho Machado, 5 – Nezinho dos Santos, 6 – Rafa Luz, 7 – Augusto Lima, 8 – Vítor Benite, 9 – Marcelinho Huertas, 10 – Alex Garcia, 11 – Rafa Hettsheimeir, 12 – Guilherme Giovannoni, 13 – Caio Torres, 14 – Marquinhos Vieira, 15 – Tiago Splitter
2012 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 12 teams
4 – Marcelinho Machado, 5 – Raul "Raulzinho" Neto, 6 – Caio Torres, 7 – Larry Taylor, 8 – Alex Garcia, 9 – Marcelinho Huertas, 10 – Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, 11 – Anderson Varejão, 12 – Guilherme Giovannoni, 13 – Nenê, 14 – Marquinhos Vieira, 15 – Tiago Splitter
2013 FIBA Americas Championship: finished 9th among 10 teams
Arthur Luiz Belchior Silva, Rafa Luz, Raul "Raulzinho" Neto, Larry Taylor, Vítor Benite, Marcelinho Huertas, Alex Garcia, Rafa Hettsheimeir, Guilherme Giovannoni, Caio Torres, Cristiano Felício, J. P. Batista
2014 FIBA World Cup: finished 6th among 24 teams
4 – Marcelinho Machado, 5 – Raul "Raulzinho" Neto, 6 – Rafa Hettsheimeir, 7 – Larry Taylor, 8 – Alex Garcia, 9 – Marcelinho Huertas, 10 – Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa, 11 – Anderson Varejão, 12 – Guilherme Giovannoni, 13 – Nenê, 14 – Marquinhos Vieira, 15 – Tiago Splitter
2015 FIBA Americas Championship: finished 9th among 10 teams
Ricardo Fischer, Rafa Luz, Augusto Lima, Deryk Ramos, Vítor Benite, Léonardo Meindl, Carlos Olivinha, Rafa Mineiro, Guilherme Giovannoni, J. P. Batista, Marquinhos Vieira, Marcus Toledo
2016 Olympic Games: finished 9th among 12 teams
Raul Neto, Cristiano Felício, Vítor Benite, Alex Garcia, Marcelinho Huertas, Guilherme Giovannoni, Nenê, Rafael Hettsheimeir, Marquinhos Vieira, Leandro Barbosa, Augusto Lima, Rafa Luz
2017 FIBA AmeriCup: finished 9th among 10 teams
Davi Rossetto, Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Dias, Lucas Mariano, Danilo Siqueira, Renan Lenz, Fúlvio de Assis, Rafa Mineiro, J. P. Batista, Léonardo Meindl, Jimmy de Oliveira, Georginho de Paula

Head coaches

Manufacturer

2015–: Nike

Sponsor

2015–2016: Bradesco
2017-: Motorola
2019-: Cimed
2019-: BRB
2020-aidas