Officially considered the best scorer in basketball history with 49,737 career points (club and national team), Oscar Schmidt said a few years ago that he could easily have become one of the top 10 players in NBA history. But the Hall of Famer, record holder for the number of points at the Olympic Games with 1,094 units and 55 in a single game (in 1988 he turned at 41.9 points per game!), Has never played in the NBA.
He was drafted in 1984 by the New Jersey Nets, in 131st position, and he had been invited by the franchise to a camp. Invitation whose content is quite surreal. Here is the letter sent by the Nets on July 5, 1984.
« Cher Oscar,
I want to congratulate you on being picked by the New Jersey Nets in our 1984 NBA Draft. We are very happy here in New Jersey that you are one of our picks.
I have attached a card and a self-addressed return envelope to complete and send as soon as possible.
We are planning to organize a rookies / free agents camp from August 10th to 17th. For this camp you will need your own basketball shoes and we will provide all the other equipment needed for the workouts. A workout is scheduled for Friday, August 17 in the evening, then two a day on Saturday and Sunday. Then, from August 13 and for 5 days, we will face the rookies and free agents of the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. All workouts will be held at Princeton University and we will be staying at the Treadway Inn in Princeton.
To prepare for this camp, I suggest that you be in the best physical condition you have ever been. This kind of camp is very demanding. No matter how demanding, we believe that you have the physical talent and the ability to make one of your dreams – playing professional basketball – come true. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me collect at (201) 935-8888.
I look forward to hearing from you and receiving your card.
Truly,
Bob MacKinnon
General Manager
Professional basketball in 1984 Oscar Schmidt already knew well, bronze medalist at the 1978 World Cup, club world champion, best scorer in the Italian championship, but obviously at the time the GM did not really know the player he had just drafted. The Brazilian declined this invitation (he was at the Los Angeles Olympics), but attended the training camp and played the preseason, but he ultimately declined the guaranteed contract offered by the franchise, as it was much lower than that. which he won in Italy where he was a superstar.
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