{{Short description|Brazilian basketball player and coach (1937–2025)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Wlamir Marques | image = Wlamir Marques.jpg | image_size = | caption = | height = 1.85 m | weight = 86 kg | birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|7|16}}<ref name="Olympedia">{{Olympedia|5090}}</ref> | birth_place = São Vicente, Brazil | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|3|18|1937|7|16}} | death_place = São Paulo, Brazil | career_start = 1953 | career_end = 1973 | coach_start = 1961 | coach_end = 1988 | career_position = Small forward | career_number = 5 | years1 = 1953–1954 | team1 = Clube de Regatas Piracicaba | years2 = 1955–1961 | team2 = XV de Novembro | years3 = 1962–1972 | team3 = S.C. Corinthians Paulista | years4 = 1973 | team4 = Tênis Clube de Campinas | cyears1 = 1961 | cteam1 = Limeira | cyears2 = 1963–1964 | cteam2 = S.C. Corinthians Paulista women | cyears3 = 1968 | cteam3 = XV de Novembro women | cyears4 = 1970–1971 | cteam4 = S.C. Corinthians Paulista | cyears5 = 1975 | cteam5 = Palmeiras | cyears6 = 1977 | cteam6 = Hebraica | cyears7 = 1981–1982 | cteam7 = São Caetano women | cyears8 = 1987–1988 | cteam8 = Cerquilho | highlights = '''As a player''': *FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991) *FIBA World Cup MVP (1963) *FIBA Intercontinental Test Cup champion (1965) *Best Athlete of South America (1961) *2× South American Club Champion (1964, 1969) *3× Brazilian Champion (1965, 1966, 1969) *7× São Paulo State Champion (1957, 1960, 1964–1966, 1968, 1969) *No. 5 retired by S.C. Corinthians Paulista (2018) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}} {{MedalCountry | {{bk|BRA}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Summer Olympics}} {{MedalBronze|1960 Rome|Team|}} {{MedalBronze|1964 Tokyo|Team|}} {{MedalCompetition|World Cup}} {{MedalGold|1959 Chile|Team|}} {{MedalGold|1963 Brazil|Team|}} {{MedalSilver|1954 Brazil|Team|}} {{MedalSilver|1970 Yugoslavia|Team|}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalSilver|1963 São Paulo|Team|}} {{MedalBronze|1955 Mexico City|Team|}} {{MedalBronze|1959 Chicago|Team|}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA South American Championship}} {{MedalGold|1958 Chile|Team|}} {{MedalGold|1960 Argentina|Team|}} {{MedalGold|1961 Brazil|Team|}} {{MedalGold|1963 Peru|Team|}} {{MedalBronze|1955 Colombia|Team|}} | FIBA_HOF_player = wlamir-marques }}
'''Wlamir Marques''' (July 16, 1937 – March 18, 2025), 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 {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|abbr=on}} 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 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fiba.basketball/intercontinentalcup/2019/news/brazil-legend-wlamir-marques-helped-lay-foundation-for-fiba-intercontinental-cup-with-51-point-explosion-for-corinthians |title=Brazil legend Wlamir Marques helped lay foundation for FIBA Intercontinental Cup with 51-point explosion for Corinthians. |access-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728015515/http://www.fiba.basketball/intercontinentalcup/2019/news/brazil-legend-wlamir-marques-helped-lay-foundation-for-fiba-intercontinental-cup-with-51-point-explosion-for-corinthians |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba/fiba-intercontinental-cup/1018715/long-rich-history-of-fiba-intercontinental-cup/ Long, rich history of FIBA Intercontinental Cup.]</ref>
== 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
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.<ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/wlamir-marques-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417110454/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/wlamir-marques-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |title=Wlamir Marques Olympic Results |access-date=June 20, 2018}}</ref>
== 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
== Death == Marques died at Santa Magiore Hospital in São Paulo, on 18 March 2025, at the age of 87.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/basquete/noticia/2025/03/18/wlamir-marques-idolo-do-basquete-morre-aos-87-anos.ghtml |title=Wlamir Marques, ídolo do basquete, morre aos 87 anos |website=GloboEsporte |date=18 March 2025 |language=pt}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name| 6504556}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20190110013818/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q//pid/80449/_//players.html FIBA Profile] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110414/http://www.cbb.com.br/PortalCBB/Selecoes/AT?cod=3257 CBB Profile] {{in lang|pt}}
{{Brazil Squad 1954 FIBA World Championship}} {{Brazil Men Basketball Squad 1955 Pan American Games}} {{Brazil Squad 1959 FIBA World Championship}} {{Brazil Men Basketball Squad 1960 Summer Olympics}} {{Brazil Men Basketball Squad 1963 Pan American Games}} {{Brazil Squad 1963 FIBA World Championship}} {{Brazil Men Basketball Squad 1964 Summer Olympics}} {{Brazil Squad 1970 FIBA World Championship}} {{FIBA World Championship MVP Award}} {{FIBA50}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marques, Wlamir}} Category:1937 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Brazilian sportsmen Category:1954 FIBA World Championship players Category:1959 FIBA World Championship players Category:1963 FIBA World Championship players Category:1970 FIBA World Championship players Category:Basketball players at the 1955 Pan American Games Category:Basketball players at the 1959 Pan American Games Category:Basketball players at the 1963 Pan American Games Category:Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players at the 1960 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players from São Paulo (state) Category:Basketball players with retired numbers Category:Brazilian basketball coaches Category:Brazilian men's basketball players Category:FIBA World Championship–winning players Category:Medalists at the 1955 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic basketball players for Brazil Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil Category:Olympic medalists in basketball Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Brazil Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Brazil Category:Pan American Games basketball players for Brazil Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in basketball Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in basketball Category:Small forwards Category:Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras basketball coaches Category:Sport Club Corinthians Paulista basketball coaches Category:Sport Club Corinthians Paulista basketball players Category:Sportspeople from São Vicente, São Paulo