Ubiratan "Bira" Pereira Maciel, commonly known as Bira Maciel, or simply Bira (January 18, 1944 – July 17, 2002), was a professional basketball player from Brazil. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil. At a height of 1.99 m (6' 61⁄2") tall,^[1] he played at the center position. He is often regarded as the best Brazilian center of all time.^[2][3] He was nicknamed "O Rei" (English: "The King").

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Ubiratan Pereira Maciel

Maciel, as a member of Trianon Clube, in 1972.
Personal information
Born	(1944-01-18)January 18, 1944 São Paulo, Brazil
Died	July 17, 2002(2002-07-17) (aged 58) Brasilia, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Listed height	6 ft 6.5 in (1.99 m)
Listed weight	212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
Playing career	1960–1982
Position	Power forward / center
Number	6
Career history
1960–1961	Clube Espéria
1961–1969	Corinthians
1969–1972	Venezia
1972	Trianon Clube
1972–1973	Sírio
1973–1978	Palmeiras
1978–1982	São José dos Campos
Career highlights and awards
2× South American Club Champion (1964, 1969) 5× Brazilian Champion (1965, 1966, 1969, 1977, 1981) 8× São Paulo State champion (1964–1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1981) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991) FIBA Order of Merit (1994)
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
FIBA Hall of Fame as player
Medals Representing  Brazil Men's Basketball Summer Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo Team FIBA World Cup 1963 Brazil Team 1970 Yugoslavia Team 1967 Uruguay Team 1978 Philippines Team Pan American Games 1963 São Paulo Team 1975 Mexico City Team 1979 San Juan Team FIBA South American Championship 1963 Lima Team 1968 Asunción Team 1971 Montevideo Team 1973 Bogotá Team 1977 Valdivia Team

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Maciel won the top-tier level club league in Brazil, the Brazilian Basketball Championship, 5 times, in the years 1965, 1966, 1969, 1977, and 1981.

With the senior Brazilian national basketball team, Maciel won a total of 8 medals at the Summer Olympic Games, FIBA World Cup, and Pan American Games.

Ubiratan Pereira Maciel played at 5 FIBA World Cups: (1963, 1967, 1970, 1974, and 1978). He totaled 41 games played and 474 points scored during those competitions, and he won a gold medal at the 1963 tournament in Brazil.^[4][5][6]

Maciel was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. He was awarded the FIBA Order of Merit in 1994. In 2009, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, as a player. On April 5, 2010, Maciel was announced as a member of the 2010 induction class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as a player, and was formally inducted on August 13.^[7]