MIES (Switzerland) - Marcelinho Huertas defied father time.
He suited up for Brazil's national team for two decades, wrapping up his international career at the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 at the age of 41.
Incredible!
"I am eternally grateful for everything that basketball and the Brazilian national team have given me," he said after playing against the United States in the Quarter-Finals, his last game. "Basketball and the national team belong to everyone, and every time we put on this jersey, we have to represent it as if it were the last game of our lives.
"I have tried to do this throughout my career, to represent it with maximum pride and pleasure, to never have said no to the Brazilian national team. For me, it has always been a priority. For me it has value, and I hope that future generations feel the same way."
Here are Marcelinho's Top 10 FIBA games.
2009 AmeriCup, when he took over
The 1.91m (6ft 3in) point guard took over at the FIBA AmeriCup in Puerto Rico, going from role player in previous campaigns to one of Brazil's main men. In the third game of the FIBA AmeriCup 2009 in Puerto Rico, Marcelinho dazzled with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and just one turnover.
The Brazilians beat their eternal rival, Argentina, 76-67, and six games later lifted the trophy.
Teaming up with Tiago against USA in WC 2010
No one saw this coming, Marcelinho picking-and-rolling with Tiago Splitter to take the Kevin Durant-led USA to the brink of defeat in the teams' third game at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2010 in Istanbul. Maybe they should have since the duo had just led Tau Vitoria to the Spanish title.
Marcelinho had 5 assists to go with his 8 points but the USA escaped with a 70-68 victory.
Marcelinho vs Luis
Three games after the near upset of the USA, Marcelinho and Argentina's Luis Scola traded blows in arguably the best game of the 2010 World Cup, a Round of 16 showdown that had international basketball shaking in ecstasy.
Marcelinho buried 4 3-balls and finished with 32 points in a performance that turned him into a national hero. But Scola had an even better game with 37 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals as Argentina prevailed, 93-89.
A disconsolate Marcelinho, having played the game of his life, walked off the Sinam Erdem court in tears with Brazil's hopes of reaching the podium dashed.
Carried Brazil to 2012 Olympics
The FIBA AmeriCup 2011 in Mar del Plata, Argentina, was a party for the host nation's golden generation, yet in the Semi-Finals against the Dominican Republic, Marcelinho gave Brazilians something to celebrate.
The playmaker worked his magic, pouring in 19 points, dishing out 8 assists and corralling 5 rebounds to lead Brazil to an 83-76 triumph and to qualification for the London Games.
Double-double on his Olympic debut
Marcelinho had an Olympic bow to treasure against Australia. The point guard mesmerized with 15 points, 10 assists and 2 steals as the Brazilians won, 75-71.
Victory put Brazil on course for the Quarter-Finals in London.
Conductor of the orchestra against France in 2014
Marcelinho, playing in his third straight World Cup, hit the court running in Granada by not only scoring 15 points against a talented France but also setting up his teammates time and time again.
He finished with a game-high 10 assists and Brazil prevailed, 65-63.
Led Brazil past Spain at Rio Olympics
Going up against many of the players he had squared off against during his time in Spain's topflight, Marcelinho thrived.
Coming off the first of his two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Marcelinho showed off his NBA quality with 11 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds as Brazil defeated Spain, 66-65.
Set the tone in Riga
Marcelinho answered an SOS from coach Aco Petrovic to play at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Latvia 2024 and for Brazil's sake, it's good that he did! The 41-year-old, who had intended to take the summer off, brought experience, savvy and overall excellence to the team and led it to an 81-72 triumph over Montenegro in the first game.
Marcelinho had 17 points and 6 rebounds in the 81-72 triumph.
Knocked out the hosts
If Latvia were the favorites as OQT hosts in 2024, they ran into Marcelinho and Brazil at the wrong time. After a win over Montenegro, a narrow defeat to Cameroon and a victory over the Philippines, Marcelinho pulled the right strings in a 94-69 blowout of the Baltic team.
The veteran finished with 14 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds.
Beat Japan to reach Quarter-Finals in Paris
After starting the Olympics with a pair of frustrating defeats, Marcelinho helped Brazil turn on the style and beat Japan to clinch a spot in the Quarter-Finals.
Marcelinho finished with 13 points and 8 assists.
FIBA