The G.O.A.T. You've Never Known (PTFO Vault)

You know how everything's a subscription now?

Music, movies, even socks.

I swear of it.

To continue this ad, please upgrade to premium plus platinum.

Uh, what?

No, anyway, Blue Apron.

This is a pay-per-listen ad.

Please confirm your billing.

Oh, that's annoying.

At least with the new Blue Apron, there's no subscription needed.

Get delicious meals delivered without the weekly plan.

Wait, no subscription?

Keep the flavor.

Ditch the subscription.

Get 20% off your first two orders with code APRON20.

Terms and conditions apply.

Visit blueapron.com/slash terms for more.

Okay, so hello.

It is me, Pablo, entering, invading even your ears, because I have done something I have not done before,

which is take the advice of someone who once told me that if people wish to support you financially, if they wish to support your journalism, your very strange future of journalism, meaning your newsroom, your ambitions, your desire to investigate things people don't want you to investigate, you should let them.

And so I am.

On Substack, my newsletter at www.pablo.show.

We'll put a link in the show notes of this episode.

I have turned on paid subscriptions.

And if you didn't know, I have a Substack, guess what?

It's free, and that's still there for you, and it's worth it.

But the paid subscribers who support this show and us will get legitimately cool, personalized benefits to come.

We will make it worth your while.

We are figuring out here at PTFO our post-DraftKings future.

And, you know, more good news on that front, I hope, to come.

But in the meantime, Pablo.show is where you sign up.

Click the link in the show notes.

Help support us, please.

Thank you, thank you, thank you on that front.

And this, this episode today, is a hand-picked episode from deep inside the PTFO vault that we sincerely hope you enjoy.

Welcome to Pablo Torre Finds Out.

I am Pablo Pablo Torre and today we're going to find out what this sound is.

Oscar Schmidt.

It's Rex Chapman.

First,

f you.

Right after this ad.

Here we go.

This is take one.

Cool, we're good.

Rolling.

Before we get started, I just want to say, Oscar,

you have one of the greatest laughs I've ever heard.

Oh, yeah.

People always

say this.

You do.

You really do.

So I want to confess something in the spirit of goodwill and friendship because you've invited me into your home.

I'm sitting with you on your couch.

And I want to confess that

I didn't really know your story until this past week.

when I started reporting the story and I decided that I need to sit on this man's couch and talk to him in person because I think it's really important for people to understand your story.

So sorry and thank you for having me.

I want people to know your legend

because you have these amazing, some of the best nicknames.

Yes.

So in Italy your nickname was what?

It's holy hand.

The holy hand.

The holy hand is a awesome, excuse me.

An amazing.

An amazing nickname.

You're going to cut this, right?

Yeah, yeah, we're going to cut this.

Don't want to commit heresy while talking about the holy hand.

But explain the holy hand as a nickname.

That's

something.

Which hand is it?

Which hand is it?

Right.

Yeah.

I don't use anything here.

Here I have a full of things.

Yeah, you happen to have your giant Hall of Fame ring.

That's a Hall of Fame.

And your middle finger on your left hand.

The unholy hand.

Hold it.

This is tough.

Yeah, this is.

Holding Oscar Schmidt's Hall of Fame ring

is a bucket list thing for me.

Now that I've learned exactly why you are deserving of

this title.

All right, so the reason I have traveled here, the reason I have come to Oscar Schmidt's vacation home in Orlando is because I wanted to find out the parts of his story that cannot be googled.

Because yes, you can look up Oscar and you can see that he scored the most points in Olympic history.

He scored 29 a game for the Brazilian national team.

He dropped a record 55 on Spain in 1988.

And you can also see that Oscar Schmidt, now 66 years old, has also scored more points than any basketball player ever.

And he played across Brazil, across Italy, across Spain.

He has the world basketball points record, which has stood from the day he retired back in 2003.

It is the one scoring record that LeBron James has not yet broken.

But when I showed up at Oscar's house in Orlando, what he told me immediately was that Americans don't really even do this.

They don't show up, they don't ask him to tell his side of his own story.

And what I realized was that as a journalist who fell in love with the game with basketball because of the 92 Dream Team with Michael and Magic and Larry and Team USA, even Christian later,

I was on that exact same track to be like everybody else.

I watched you get inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Of course.

And the man who walks you down the aisle was Larry Bird.

Was Larry Bird.

My idol.

Welcoming Oscar to the Hall of Fame is Larry Bird.

Ladies and gentlemen, Oscar Smith.

It's too easy.

to have Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, as an idol.

The guy flies around and do whatever he wants.

It's too easy.

My guy doesn't run,

doesn't jump,

and play the best of everybody else.

He's here.

Larry Bird was my idol my whole life.

Well, it seems like he also respects you.

Of course, because I play

almost like him.

My coach in Italy said to me one time, you should be Larry Bird.

You should just be Larry Bird is some good coaching.

Be Larry Bird is somebody.

I was watching clips of Kobe Bryant.

Yeah.

And Kobe Bryant was talking about how you, Oscar,

were

Kobe Bryant was different.

He was my guy.

Let me tell you a story.

He was Bird before I ever had a chance to see what Bird was.

I'm going to tell you the Oscar Schmidt, too, now.

Oh, he was bad.

Yeah, Oscar Schmidt, yes, yes.

We had 47 in the U.S.

in the Pan Am games.

His dad plays in Italy.

And he grew up playing in

watching me beat his dad every year.

He said to his father that he likes me.

Joe said, no, no, Magic Johnson, Lenny Bird, Michael Jordan.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

You will lose to Oscar every year.

I will continue with Oscar.

So, which is all to say that you're kind of partially responsible for Kobe Bryant becoming the player that he was.

That's incredible.

I mean, with the record that is in the news right now,

right, is that you are the leading scorer in world basketball history.

You have the most total points of any human being who has ever walked the earth.

And so you're ahead of currently LeBron James, Kareem Bouljabar, Carl Malone, Michael Jordan.

So what is your record?

How many total points?

49,737.

And I'm very proud of that because I never play for records.

I always play to win games, to win championship, to be the best.

What would Oscar Schmidt's NBA career have been like?

I would be top 10.

Sure that I'll be top 10.

Me, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and all the rest that play in the dream team.

You're 100% positive.

Of course.

So

I want to make the case here, though, that

you're not just the greatest basketball player that never played in the NBA.

I want to explore the possibility that you're actually the most underappreciated basketball player to ever live.

And I live with that, and I live good with that.

Quilted Northern is quilted with three cushy layers for your comfort.

The quilted comfort of Quilted Northern!

Keep it quilted with Quilted Northern.

For a limited time at McDonald's, get a Big Mac extra-value meal for $8.

That means two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun, and medium fries, and a drink.

We may need to change that jingle.

Prices and participation may vary.

So the case I'm here to make today is not simply that Oscar Schmidt is really underrated at basketball,

but

it is funny to me when I make these calls, as I have been all month, to longtime coaches and longtime analysts like Fran Fraschilla, these guys who have been professionally scouting internationally in specific for decades, that they can't really help themselves.

So Oscar was ahead of his time.

And if Oscar had come in his prime, we would be thinking about Oscar in a way that we think of probably Luca,

Dirk, or Jokic, because he was truly a great player.

His strength was scoring the ball.

Great shooter, could score from anywhere on the floor, and very confident, hockey guy.

And he would have been, his personality would have been a great fit for the modern NBA.

And with the three-point line nowadays, he really would have been a magical player to watch.

You know,

the Steph Curries of the world don't realize, probably didn't know until they did their homework that there were guys like this that could really shoot it just like them.

And that is not an exaggeration, by the way.

For his career, Oscar averaged almost 45%

from three and would have been second all time in the NBA if he did it in the NBA.

Number one was Steve Kerr, a guy who it is worth noting attempted less than two three-pointers per game.

Oscar, by contrast, attempted eight and a half threes per game, eight and a half, which would have been second career only to Steph Curry in the league.

But the biggest difference with Oscar by is that when he was doing all of this in the late 80s,

nobody else was anywhere.

I mean, just look it up.

In 87, the Dallas Mavericks led the NBA by attempting eight threes per game as a team.

Oscar shot more than that by himself.

That was my objective.

Shoot more than anybody.

Did people try to convince you not to do that?

Yes, all my coaches

shoot.

Sometimes, Oscar, Oscar, not many.

But when I do 10 from 11, 8 from 8, oh, you did good.

When you score 49,000 points, it's like, okay, maybe this guy was onto something.

But who gave you the idea at 6'9?

Because it's also that you're taller than everybody.

It's obvious.

If you have a line that say from here to there,

it's three points.

Why are you going to shoot two?

Arivi Dao.

Your coach.

Our coach.

He gave me chocolates when I get rebound because I was more to offense and then I must defend something.

And then

he gave me this

present, this chocolate.

And one day

I went to the hospital

because

during the practice

I was with a bag with 55 of these chocolates and I ate it from one day to the other, all the 55.

So you're approaching.

I really tried to piss Brown.

You're saying, Oscar, your approach to eating chocolates was your approach to shooting threes.

Of course.

As many as you can get,

you wanted to take those.

Yes.

Because

I didn't like a lot of defense.

But I knew that I must guard somebody.

And that's the reason that he gave me these chocolates.

Get some rebound, Oscar.

Come on.

With all of this understood, I want to get to the enormous decision that ensured why I, growing up and why lots of Americans in my generation and younger and older too, why we don't know your story, which is you chose not to play in the NBA.

For the next three hours, the USA Cable Network wishes you to join us for the 1984 NBA draft.

We will be taking

the fact that you get drafted

by the Nets.

This is 40 years ago now, 1984.

That's Michael Jordan.

That's Akeem Alajuan, Charles Barkley.

Those are the guys who get drafted in the top five picks.

Of course.

And so, sixth round, you get taken 131st overall.

And so, your feeling, your first reaction to being the 131st pick was what?

Come on, man.

If you want me, get me the first round.

I could say to him a lot of bad words, but

I keep it up and I go there.

So you go to the Nets?

I go to the Nets.

I go to the camp of Nets.

You go to America.

And I asked him, who is the first choice?

Ah, it's Jeff Turner.

Well, Jeff Turner playing in Italy and I kick his butt every year.

And then I go there and said to the coach, coach, here's one point a minute.

If you give me 20 minutes, I give you 20 points.

We play five games against the hookies of the other teams.

They gave me 25 minutes.

I gave him 25 points.

They become crazy about me.

You played five of training camp games.

Yes.

And you just shot a game.

Where is Jeff Turner?

Oh, he cannot come.

He was first choice.

First choice?

He should be here.

Showing us that he was a first choice.

And I said no to the contract.

Well,

I want to explain how we get to that point because there's this rule.

Yeah.

And it's a FIBA rule.

FIBA rule.

And it says NBA players specifically are not allowed to play in

the Olympics in these represent their country on the national team.

It was an NBA-specific rule.

If you play just one game in NBA on that time, you could not play

never more with your national team.

Right.

And for me, national team was first one.

Second, the teams.

But national team, you represent a country.

So for me, it was the best thing.

How would you describe at the time how the NBA viewed international players?

They don't view international.

Did it feel like disrespect?

Of course.

And so for you, the decision not to sign with the Nets, which was a decision to not go to the NBA, how difficult was that decision in the end?

Easy.

They offered me the contract, but I don't want it.

I just want to know if I am capable.

And today I know that I'm capable to play in the NBA.

So you just went to training camp to prove that if you did decide to do it, you could do it.

Why six rounds?

Come on, man.

I know how to play basketball.

And so

you go back to Italy, right?

You're playing in Italy.

You're scoring a million points in Italy.

And the next year, 1985, you encounter one of the guys that you would have played against in the NBA had you decided to go.

And it's an exhibition game.

And

I wanted to know about the game you played against Michael Jordan.

Oh, yes.

And I have a video, because I want you to just re-watch this video that I have.

What happens is Michael Jordan goes up.

He dunks, and the entire backboard shatters.

And the glass is covering your teammates.

Two teammates.

And where are you on the court as a team?

I was not close to there.

So you didn't get hit by the glass?

I didn't get hit.

But I saw the hand of Tatulopes.

I saw the tendon going back and forth.

Oh, my God.

And Pietro Genelari has a cut here like this.

On his side, on his right side.

So he took two players of our team.

Right.

I said to him, You're not from the earth.

And he responded, you too.

And

phrase that he

he gave it to me i i bring with me my whole life

if the best player as you all guys say that michael john is the best player said that to me come on right

he he knew me

so

The biggest though, the biggest, most shattering game that you played in against future NBA stars now, this was two years after that game in Italy.

It's 1987.

It's in the United States.

It's Indianapolis, Indiana, and it's the Pan Am Games.

And so I want to explain for people, Oscar, the Pan Am Games were a huge deal.

From the dawn of civilization in the Americas, the spirit of human achievement has inspired feats of monumental proportions.

Like the ancient temples they built, the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayas embodied strength, discipline, and vision.

And out of the ruins of this storied past lives a spirit that continues today in the Pan American Games.

It's basically the Continental Olympics.

It's North and South America, Central America, the Caribbean.

There's a parade.

The whole thing is broadcast on CV.

Yes.

It's enormous.

Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana and center stage for the 10th Pan American Games.

And this game, the gold medal game, was held at an actual NBA arena.

Of course.

It was Market Square Arena.

It's where the Pacers played.

It's sold out.

They had won 34 straight games.

Oscar, they never lose.

They never lost in the United States.

Ever.

And so, what is your expectation?

If you're being honest,

entering this game as you're with the Brazilian team, my expectation was lose by 50.

So this team has David Robinson, Danny Manning, Rex Chapman, Hurvis Ellison, all these NBA guys, the biggest stars in college, right?

And

do you think they took you seriously?

They didn't took us serious.

Nobody in America seemed to take them seriously.

I mean, the head coach of Team USA, Denny Crum, didn't even remember the leading scorer of Brazil's name, which happened to rhyme with

Boskar Mitt.

And at the opening ceremonies, the CBS broadcast couldn't even name a single opponent, a single country they were worried about.

In your mind, is there any team that can pose a threat to the U.S.?

Well, I've only seen a couple practice, but in all reality, Vern, this is a very, very strong team.

As a matter of fact, I think the contingency that we have here is as strong as the club we had that won the Pan Am gold the last time and the Olympic Games in L.A.

It's a very strong team.

But Oscar and Brazil made the gold medal game

and immediately proved pretty much everybody right by going down by almost 30.

Around this point, the entire American press corps, it turns out, made a pretty memorable decision, which Mike Wilbon, who was there with the Washington Post, confessed to me.

The writers, the sports writers covering the game for the biggest newspapers and smallest ones across the United States of America said, that's it.

We've been here 23 days or whatever it is.

We're packing up.

And people packed up and they left press row.

They left.

And we went back

to the Market Square press room and we talked about the games, about what had happened, about track and field and boxing and basketball.

And then somebody rushed into the press room and said, hey, it's down to nine.

And this game has tightened up considerably.

This is the gold medal game in men's basketball.

Dick Stockton and Billy Packer.

At one time, the USA had a 20-point lead, but Brazil cut it to four moments ago before Willie Anderson stretched it to six.

A 13-4 run by Brazil has tightened this game up, led by the great Oscar Schmidt.

And a physical affair at that, Billy.

So, I want to understand what changed in this game because you guys are down 26, and then suddenly the comeback starts.

One day, I was talking with Sena, Sena, the great F1

Brazilian legend,

and he told me,

I talk to God, Oscar.

I talk to God too.

Talk to God is

something that's almost perfect.

Right now, what we have are

one club just as completely an emotional high.

Smith with three more, Billy, and it's now a one-point game.

The United States is going to have to go back to a lineup.

It's something extreme.

You are in a way that you see the game in slow motion, but you are not in slow motion.

a three-pointer.

He has 28 points, 17 this half.

Oscar is putting on more of a show here, not only with his shooting, but the emotion.

He's going to drain himself here just with his celebrations after the shots.

It's unbelievable.

And I had this sensation like

almost 30 times.

But Oscar has made no conscience with his audio pointer.

I don't know anybody I've ever seen that loves to score more than he does.

All the shots I did.

I remember every one.

You had at least six in the second half, six threes in the second half.

Six.

But there are some, I was watching the video.

I thought it was seven.

I think it was, maybe it was all seven in the second half.

He's coming back right now.

Marcel Sosa Schmidt hits a three.

That's seven three-point shots in.

I'm gonna do my counting.

But I was watching the video, and you're you're pulling up and no one's there to rebound it.

You're being guarded.

Of course, because I score like that.

All my coaches say it like this.

Did you see no rebound?

Yeah, I saw.

No one was down there.

No one there to pick up.

Even without anybody at rebound.

When you're in the second half of the 87 gold medal game, do you remember any particular moment, a favorite shot that you had that you took in the second half?

There was one one that I miss,

Israel, get the rebound.

That was his mission.

and

call me Oscar come on again

three-point attempt again by Smith not that time but the rebound by Andrade Smith again three-pointer boom and I score there is this shot in the in the in the videotape when you watch the video what becomes clear is that few people in the history of basketball have ever had a more green light to shoot.

Oh, no.

Do you remember one of the things you said after or before making a shot?

No, I just screamed.

With the United States, Oscar with two more.

Now it's getting real serious to the United States, Billy, in their efforts to retain the gold medal.

These players have to be more shocked than we are.

When you watch the tape, it is remarkable.

You hit a shot and you scream.

Yes.

Running the other way.

Of course.

They must know

who they are playing against.

I was that guy that don't come to New New Jersey nets because of national team.

And I was playing with my national team.

Wilbon also told me that you guys were, you were like slapping yourself in the face.

Yes.

Oscar Schmidt keeps hitting shots.

He's hitting shots and he's slapping his own face on the way back down the court backpedaling.

I'm awake.

I'm awake.

Come on.

Give him the ball.

You're like, all right, I need to.

I'm Oscar Schmidt.

You're reminding yourself.

He said he had never seen that before.

Nobody asked me that.

Nobody, even in Brazil, that people that saw the game, everybody saw that game.

You're telling me it took you,

again,

1987, 2024, took you almost 40 years for someone to ask you, why were you slapping yourself in the face during the most pivotal game

basketball history?

I thought I was sleeping.

Come on, man.

Shocking game.

The scene of when the buzzer sounds and the final score.

Again, you've finished with 46 points.

You scored 35 in the second half.

It's one of the greatest comebacks, the most shocking things that's happened in international basketball history.

Brazil beats Team USA 120 to 115.

And I want to just play that final scene from the game game for you because I want you to tell me what you were feeling.

So, Marcel, I draw in the floor

crying.

Because for me, it was not possible what happened here.

Right.

You fall on the floor, you're crying.

Crying.

Because

when you win.

something that you're not supposed to win, most of the times you cry.

If you are emotional i was very emotional and all the all the our our players are crying oh your guys are all falling to the floor you're on your back you're yelling what are you yelling you're saying something yelling we won we won in this game in portuguese which is what which it was

so what did you prove as you're then yeah and they knocked the door of our locker room and said to us i we don't have our your anthem.

After the game, the Brazilian national anthem.

We go from here to the airport.

No, no, please don't.

I will try to have your anthem.

They take like 40 minutes to

have the anthem ready.

And then

we go,

was just the beginning of the anthem.

And we start

to sing without the anthem.

That's much more emotional.

What do you think you proved that day?

What did Brazil prove that?

Brazil proved that basketball is universal, not just in America.

That's the proof that we made in that game.

This is what Mike Wilbon wrote for the Washington Post.

He said this, quote, the Americans sat on the bench stunned, their faces looking like they'd seen the end of the world.

Yeah,

I have a picture of that.

And I said,

and I'll show you this picture.

Yeah.

Looks like they died, and there was more 10 minutes to play.

Right.

I do like how you just have this photo that you can look at.

Here.

Yeah, that looks like people have seen the end of the world.

Balance there.

Hol la carinha.

Von Perdemismo.

Which means.

Look at the faces.

They're going to lose.

I did want to show you something, a video that I brought that you have not seen before.

Yeah.

Because

somebody that I know is one of the guys on that team, on Team USA, that you beat.

And this is a message for you from Rex Chapman.

Wow.

Okay.

You can play it.

Just hit.

Here we go.

Oscar Schmidt, it's Rex Chapman.

First,

f you.

And I love you.

It's been a long time, man.

We were in command of that ball game, if you remember at halftime.

And Oscar Schmidt came out of halftime and put the Brazilian team on your back.

You got so hot you could kick them in and there was nothing that we could do.

We lose the game.

I've never been in a locker room more disappointed, sad, crying.

You did a lot of that, Oscar.

I love you, buddy.

Be proud.

What a life.

What a career.

See you.

Beautiful.

He didn't say you at the start.

But I love the you because it's with somebody say to

somebody who beat you

nice, man, nice, the real nice.

With the Wealth Front Cash Account, you can earn 4% annual percentage yield from partner banks on your cash until you're ready to invest.

The cash account grows your money with no account maintenance fees and free instant withdrawals whenever you need it.

Money works better here.

Go to wealthfront.com to start saving and investing today.

Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member Fenra SIPC.

Wealthfront is not a bank.

The APY on cash deposits as of December 27, 2024 is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum.

Funds in the cash account are swept to partner banks where they earn the variable APY.

Suffs!

The new musical has made Tony award-winning history on Broadway.

We the man to be honest.

Winner, best score.

We the man to be seen.

Winner, best book.

We the man to be quality.

It's a theatrical masterpiece that's thrilling, inspiring, dazzlingly entertaining, and unquestionably the most emotionally stirring musical this this season.

Suffs.

Playing the Orpheum Theater October 22nd through November 9th.

Tickets at BroadwaySF.com.

So you've got your streaming subscription sorted, but every now and then live TV FOMO hits hard.

Good news!

With passes by Sling, get instant access to live TV when you want it.

Big football game tonight?

Grab a day pass.

Baseball series?

Try a week pass.

Show or movie marathon?

You guessed it.

Weekend Pass.

Introducing Passes.

Get the live TV you love for the day, week, or weekend starting at $4.99.

Sling lets you do that.

Offer applies to Orange Day Pass with restrictions apply.

In many ways, ways that I in no way appreciated growing up as a kid in the 90s, the most important part of Oscar's story is what happened next.

Because after the U.S.

lost to Oscar and Brazil, this soccer country in America, this unprecedented humiliation on home soil, Team USA then lost to Arvita Sabotis and the Soviet Union the next year in Korea in the 88 Olympics.

And all of this led to a legislative change in 1989.

That changed everything forever.

Because at long last, FIBA decided to lift its ban on NBA players from international competitions.

It was the same ban that had made Oscar Schmidt stay abroad in the first place.

It was a rule that a panicked America now demanded.

The Dream Team, the finest collection of basketball players ever assembled.

Superstars and superheroes playing together on one team.

For one reason and one reason only.

Payback.

We talk about when we reunite the national team we talk about the dream team what do you say it's it's our fault if we didn't won that game

there is no dream team

right yeah simple like this

and i know this

you can say whatever you want

i know this

I know that's something unbelievable.

The dream team is playing because our team,

Brazilian basketball team.

This is the embarrassing part for me, Oscar.

So I grew up, I was six years old when it was the 92 Olympics in Barcelona, and I fell in love with the NBA because of the dream team.

Yes.

What I did not realize until reporting your story is how personally responsible you were

for the formation of the dream team.

Yes, of course.

Because you beat Team USA, that leads to the rule being lifted, which leads to Larry Bird, to the Barcelona Olympics.

I mean, it gets to the basketball that became the global game.

Of course.

And so all around the world, because of the dream team,

who is responsible for the dream team?

Yes.

So a young Paul Gasol, a young Dirk Nowitzki, a young Tony Parker, a young Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Yannis Ante Takumpo.

You're the first domino that results in the dream team exporting basketball, which leads to all of the great international players who did the thing that you did not do, which is they went to the NBA.

And so the guy who never set foot in the NBA became responsible for all of the international players who would.

And that's a f ⁇ ing incredible thing.

They make the dream team for what?

To get revenge on you.

On me.

On Thabonis.

Yes.

On all the big players that the world had.

The international guys.

Yes.

How dare they come and beat the Americans at their own game?

The fact that you're the reason

is one of the great, just like revelations for me as a fan.

Did you ever consider when they lifted the rule?

When FIBA lifted the rule that said you could play in the NBA and play in the national team.

Yes.

Did you ever consider going to the NBA at that point?

Yeah, but I was a little old.

I don't play like I did play because I was tough.

I was very tough.

And I played better than many players in America.

So I could play in NBA for sure because I had this instinct, the killer instinct, that when you shoot the ball, you know that the ball goes in.

Few players have this instinct and I had it.

I used it in Italy.

I use it in Spain and I was very happy.

The NBA wouldn't change my game, wouldn't change my personality, nothing.

So and I when I was invited

I

think about come

but I did not play like I play years before.

So when the 92 Olympics happen and it's Barcelona and it's Magic and Michael and Larry and Charles and all those guys.

Everyone was there.

They get their revenge on you.

They do.

I know.

But it was not the revenge because all the best basketball players in the world are playing with us.

We don't have that team that could beat the dream team.

We have a good team that could beat that college team.

But not the dream team from NBA.

Michael Jordan.

Everyone was there.

No, it's, I mean, this is why I fell in love with the game.

Yeah.

It was because I was watching these guys blow.

I mean, look, Brazil, you guys lost this 127 to 83.

You had 24 points in 30 minutes.

I was growing up in the United States, son of immigrants from the Philippines who didn't really know sports.

I play in Philippines.

Really?

They have a good basketball.

We love basketball.

My God.

The tournament that Philippines does are incredible.

Yeah, yeah.

The fans are

everybody.

I love basketball Philippines.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

But I say all of that to just say that

the game got exported in the process of them destroying everybody in the Olympics, including you.

We didn't think about this at the moment, but after going the days, the months, the years,

we think about it.

And so here's the other domino in this procession.

The only reason you were able...

to play in the Pan Am Games in 1987 was because

you didn't go to the nets and you didn't go to the nba

40 years ago that's what i think at the time

you saw this all coming

you said to yourself if i oscar schmidt go to the nets as a sixth round pick the dream team in 1992 will never be formal basketball will never be the same again i was not that profound

but when we won that game

you said i'm so glad that i was able to do this unbelievable

over there.

That was an unbelievable thing that happens in basketball.

Your decision in 84 to not go to the NBA is the first domino

that sets into motion everything we've been talking

about.

You discover everything.

I try to find out some stuff.

You can say you're a good reporter.

Oscar Schmidt.

Put that on the movie poster.

Put it on the podcast poster.

Pablo Torre finds out.

I want to ask you about just the present tense now.

Because you watch basketball, you alluded to this.

But when you were playing basketball, again, nobody was playing like you in the NBA.

And so when you watch the NBA today in 2024, Oscar, what do you see?

I look for Luka Dontich.

I look for Jokic.

I look for all the foreign players much more than American players because they are better than American players.

They are much better.

If you look, Jokic, Jogan, playing, this guy's going to win the third time, the best player.

Another guy who can't really jump, but can shoot,

but can shoot, can do anything you want.

He's a guy that

I don't know because he already did

a few games that he didn't make triple-double.

But he was the guy to make triple-double on median.

Yes.

Yes, averaging a triple double.

He's unbelievable.

One day I saw him was shooting, boom, past the ball behind him.

That's not super relevant to an NBA game, but

yeah, I saw that one.

I saw that play.

But even, but what's crazy is that even the Americans play like you.

That's the thing.

If you don't shoot from trees, you don't win anymore.

So I'm watching Steph Curry.

I'm watching Damian Lillard.

Everybody plays like Oscar Schaber.

But he's playing his friend, Thompson.

Oh, Clay Thompson.

Wow, he's unbelievable.

He's the guy that I I admire more.

Really?

You like Clay the most?

Oh, of course.

He's shot, it's always the same.

If he shoots from two, it's the same if he shoots from three.

Same shot.

You know what?

Now that you mentioned it, it reminds me of watching you.

Because

the mechanics are always, always.

He fake the guy.

Next shot will be

the same.

And even the shot being overhead.

Yes, that's why I like him very much.

Do you feel like the players in the NBA

know your story?

Many knows, but many don't know.

And I feel this in the air.

What does it feel like to you?

I feel like you don't know me.

Okay, no problem.

Go with your team.

I don't get...

upset about this, but I see.

Yeah, well, I think there's a key thing, which even

this story, right?

I'm trying to tell it to people.

And I think that the first impression that they have is, but this guy never played in the NBA.

Never played.

I never played in the NBA because I didn't want it.

And so describe just that part of this story, the idea that your entire life you've had to sort of remind people that even though you never played in the NBA,

you still have a story worth hearing.

What camera?

Here.

Okay, let's pick that one right in the middle.

Okay,

I never play in NBA because I didn't want to play in NBA because New Jersey Nets drafted me at sixth round.

Choice 131.

That's why I never play in the NBA because I get offended with that.

You

you too.

The reason you're back in the news lately, though, is because you have this record, the all-time points record, which again is 49,000 and how many?

737.

737.

So

LeBron James is about to pass you.

It's just a matter of time.

Yes.

He's on pace to do it.

He may be doing it as we're talking right now.

I don't know.

Are you watching LeBron?

I watch him.

I love the way he plays because he's

a good basketball player.

He shoots from three.

Every dunk he does looks like you're seeing a concourse of

dunking team.

So

he make assists.

He is a perfect player.

Do you care about your record being broken?

No, because as you doing this,

every journalist that I talk, people ask me,

do you care about LeBron James?

No.

Records are made to be broken.

So

broke us as fast as he wants.

You're different players, but you also have had similar goals, it seems like, because not just being the all-time leading scorer in the history of basketball on planet Earth, but you guys have also, I mean, you retired at what age?

45.

I was persistent.

I've noticed.

I've noticed this about you, Oscar, on this couch.

Your persistence is a definite quality you have.

Yeah, yeah.

Do you have any advice for LeBron James as he tries to be keep playing the way you were playing?

You broke my record soon.

You listen, LeBron.

Go like this.

You'll be the first one

in the world.

2017, you're playing the celebrity all-star game in New Orleans.

I have never seen this before until I saw it.

An actual Hall of Famer

playing next to like Ansel L.

Gorg.

Come on.

Did you know any of your teammates?

I didn't know anybody, but

I could play the whole game because I practice one month every day to go to that game.

And so what is your review of your performance in the 2017 Celebrity All-Star game?

I'm not afraid.

If I play the whole game, I will be the best of the game because I score.

And the basketball game, first thing you must score.

Basketball is not made for good defensers, it's made it for good offensive plays.

And so, you took two shots, two shots.

Come on, how will I be the best of the game with two shots?

You were two for two.

If I shot 10, it would be 10 for 10.

So now

you're 66.

66.

Is that right?

Yes.

Do you still play?

No.

No, because

I got fat a little bit.

So I won't do the same thing that you do.

You look great, Oscar.

You look great.

No, but I don't play like I played before.

You don't even shoot anymore?

No, nothing.

I play soccer.

I don't know if you play.

If you want to play in my team, I don't know.

I might see you playing before once you're in the middle.

You're scouting now.

Yes.

Okay, here's my scouting report i don't play defense don't play defense in soccer yeah okay you're forgiven because i don't play defense too

but if the guy crossed the ball yeah boom i my head is like a my third leg

something that i noticed i was i was looking through you have a youtube channel also and i want to point this out you spend time in america we're here in orlando you spend some time here and talking to you and watching some of the videos you've been making in your free time, you seem incredibly American now.

Yes, you sometimes are wearing NFL jerseys, you're giving like opinions,

takes about the NFL.

But it's an opinion.

I watch NFL a lot.

Wow.

Wow.

Ravens for Campiónza NFL.

Cabano de Guyaum Super Bowl.

No,

no,

no.

no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, do you feel like an American now?

Yes,

much more than most Americans.

Because first thing is here in Orlando has Disney and a fan of Disney.

Something that

I've realized, something I found out today is that you love Disney.

I love Disney.

And the best thing, you go to Epcot Center, sit on a bench and watch the people growing there going.

The best sneakers that I see in the world.

People don't play, but have the best sneaker.

This is the most American ever, by the way.

You wear an NFL jersey and you give takes into your computer camera.

You go to Disney Worlds and you sit at Epcot Center and you judge all of the people wandering around.

It's a small.

I'm a good judger.

One last question is:

What is your greatest joy from your career?

Greatest joy was to beat the Americans at the Pan Am Games.

games.

That opened the

doors for the pros playing every time.

And I was a pro

and I could not play for NBA.

I could not play in my national team.

Come on, man.

If that rule did not exist, what would Oscar Schmidt's NBA career have been like?

I would be top 10.

Sure, that I'll be top 10.

Me, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and all the rest that play in the dream team.

If that guy, big guy, what's the name of that big guy?

You'll have to be a little more specific, Oscar.

Akeli Kijogon with dream team.

No, no, no, no, no.

Leitner?

Leitner.

If he plays in the dream team, I could play in the dream team too.

Come on, he goes there to pass the ball.

Shoot something.

Come on, man.

Sh ⁇ on Christian Leitner is another deeply American activity.

Yes, of course.

Oscar Schmidt, the reason it turns out that I fell in love with basketball.

Yeah.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for this couch.

The reason.

Oh, my man.

Thank you so much, man.

This has been Pablo Torre finds out, a Meadowlark media production.

And I'll talk to you next time.