RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil) - In a country of basketball legends, Wlamir Marques is among the biggest of all in Brazil. The leading scorer in the teams that won the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 1959 and 1963 and finished runners-up on two other occasions, Wlamir is being inducted to the 2023 class of the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Not many players are two-time world champions, yet Wlamir was, in 1959 when Brazil won seven of their nine games to lift the trophy, and four years later when he was MVP of the tournament.

The second was even sweeter because Brazil won that title while playing in front of their own fans in Rio de Janeiro.

Wlamir was the MVP of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 1963

Making his career all the more remarkable was that he was in his country's teams that finished runners-up at the 1954 and 1970 World Cups, yet Wlamir never dwelled much on those achievements.

He said in the History of the FIBA Basketball World Cup documentary: "We were World Cup runners-up for the first time. Nobody gave a damn about that. In our country, runners-up are the first of the losers."

A 1.85m (6ft 1in) small forward, Wlamir played with tenacity, grit and flair. He was never afraid to step up and attempt to make the big play.

His career included bronze medals at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics. Wlamir's status was so great that in 1964, he served as Brazil's flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics. He also played at the Olympics in 1956 and 1968.

Sao Vicente Tumiaru, Clube de Regatas Piracicaba,  XV de Novembro, S.C. Corinthians Paulista and Tenis Clube de Campinas were the clubs that Marques suited up for.

Among his many club highlights, five times he was a winner of the Brazilian Championship, in 1955, 1958, 1962, 1964, and 1970.

One of the many tributes to the legendary player is that a multi-sport gym in the Tatuape district of Sao Paulo is named after him - the Ginasio Poliesportivo Wlamir Marques.

He is being enshrined in the Class of 2023 that includes Penny Taylor (Australia), Yuko Oga (Japan), Katrina McClain (USA), Amaya Valdemoro (Spain), Angelo Victoriano (Angola), Yao Ming (China), Sonny Hendrawan (Indonesia); with both Carlos Loyzaga (Philippines) and Zurab Sakandelidze (Georgia) being inducted posthumously. The Class also includes deserved recognition for coaching duo Valerie Garnier (France) and Alessandro Gamba (Italy).

The 2023 FIBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place  after the conclusion of the FIBA Congress on August 23, 2023, in Manila, Philippines, ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

FIBA