2022 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Antonio Carlos Barbosa

MIES (Switzerland) - Spanning two decades, Brazilian playcaller Antonio Barbosa is having his outstanding coaching accomplishments  recognized by being inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame. 

Barbosa is being enshrined in the Class of 2022 as part of a nine-strong group that have all contributed significantly to the development of women's basketball.

The Class also includes deserved recognition for his fellow coaches Geno Auriemma (USA) and Maria Planas (Spain), while Milan 'Ciga' Vasojevic (Serbia) will be inducted posthumously. The rest of the inductees are honored for their efforts as players and this list includes Lisa Leslie (USA), Robyn Maher (Australia), Catarina Pollini (Italy), Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene (Lithuania) and Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal). 

Barbosa coached 448 international games with Brazil and recorded 330 wins

Dedicating 20 years of his life to coaching Brazil and with four decades between starting and finishing, Barbosa gave his service to the women's senior side in three separate stints, which collectively harvested a stunning haul of 448 international games and 330 wins.

Barbosa started in basketball very early and was called to coach the women's team at the high school where he studied. In 1966, he became a coach in his home city of Bauru and then an assistant for the Sao Paulo basketball team a few years later.


Barbosa started young and took Brazil to an Olympic bronze medal at the 2000 Games in Sydney

By the age of just 26 years-old, he became assistant coach of the Brazilian national team and was younger than many of players of the time. Almost from the start, he had to deputize in the absence of head coach Waldir Pagan and in 1976 he assumed the top position. . 

One of his most proud achievements is that he launched so many legendary Brazilian greats onto the international stage, including a string of FIBA Hall of Famers such as 'Magic' Paula Goncalves, Hortencia Marcari and Janeth Arcain. He is widely credited as being the coach who planted so many seeds of Brazilian success, especially having spanned so many different generations.

Barbosa had the honor of coaching his country at a home Olympic Games during 2016 in Rio 

Barbosa took his team to no fewer than six FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup tournaments and in 2000 at his first Olympics, masterminded a bronze medal for his country in Sydney. He would also take them to Athens in 2004, then bowing out on home soil at the 2016 Rio Olympics

He becomes the second Brazilian coach to enter the FIBA Hall of Fame, following in the footsteps of the legendary Togo Renan Soares 'Kanela'. The ceremony will take place on November 30 in Mies, Switzerland.

FIBA