São Paulo.- Carlos Massoni, popularly known as ‘Mosquito’, world basketball champion with the Brazilian national team and double Olympic medalist, passed away this Thursday at the age of 87, reported the Brazilian Basketball Confederation (CBB).
“The CBB mourns the irreparable loss of a Brazilian basketball hero. His history and his legacy are eternal, and will echo in the generations of future basketball players,” the entity stated in a release.
Born in the capital of São Paulo, ‘Mosquito’ took his first steps as a professional at Palmeiras and was a recognized figure of the golden age of South American basketball.
Wearing the Brazilian national team jersey, he touched glory by being crowned world champion in the edition held in Rio de Janeiro in 1963.
Furthermore, he was a key player in Brazil winning the bronze medals at the Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games.
His international record also includes a silver medal (1970) and a bronze medal (1967) in World Cups, as well as three medals in the Pan American Games: gold in Cali 1971, silver in São Paulo 1963, and bronze in Chicago 1959.
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Subsequently, he played for more than a decade at the Sírio club, had a stint at Portuguesa, and concluded his sports career defending the colors of São Caetano.
Recognized on the court for being a specialist in both playmaking and drives to the basket, Massoni earned a degree in Physical Education and worked as a coach and teacher after retiring from active sports.
His last major public appearance linked to sports took place in 2023, when he participated alongside his family and former teammates in a gala organized by the CBB to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the historic 1963 world championship. 1963.
