José Ortiz

Infobox NBA Player
name = José Ortiz


caption =
nickname = Piculín
league =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 11
weight_lbs = 260
position = Center
birth_date = birth date and age|1963|10|23
birth_place = Aibonito, Puerto Rico
nationality = Puerto Rican
former_teams = San Germán Athletics (1982—1984)
Oregon State Beavers (1985—1987)
CAI Zaragoza (1987—1988)
Utah Jazz (1988—1990)
Real Madrid (1990)
FC Barcelona (1990—1992)
Festina Andorra (1992—1993)
CB Málaga (1993—1994)
San Germán Athletics (1994)
Toritos Cayey (1994—1995)
Gymnastikos S. Larissas (1995)
San Germán Athletics (1995)
Iraklio BC (1995—1996)
San Germán Athletics (1996)
Aris Thessalonki (1996—1997)
Guayaquiries Margarita (1997)
Aris Thessalonki (1997—1998)
Santurce Crabbers (1998—2006)
Arecibo Captains (2006)
college = Oregon State
draft = 15th overall
draft_team = Utah Jazz
draft_year = 1987
career_start = 1982
career_end = 2006
awards = NCAA All-American 1987

José Rafael Ortiz (born October 25 1963) —better known as Piculín or Picu— is a retired Puerto Rican professional basketball player. Ortiz has played in the NCAA, NBA, various European teams and the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico. He played for the Utah Jazz while in the NBA and the San Germán Athletics, Santurce Crabbers, and Arecibo Captains while in the BSN. Ortiz was a member of the Puerto Rican National Team from 1983-2004. Most notably he was a member of the 2004 Puerto Rican National Basketball Team that defeated the United States. Ortiz was a member of 4 Olympic teams 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2004.

Biography

Ortiz, nicknamed "Piculín" after one of the characters in "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Concorde", is a native of Cayey who entered Puerto Rico's national basketball tournament with the "Atléticos de San Germán" in 1981. In 1982, "Piculín" had reached the mandatory age to join Puerto Rico's national basketball team, and in 1983, he saw his first international competition, at the Pan American Games of Caracas, Venezuela.

Ortiz and his teammates took the "Atléticos" to many championships, beginning with the 1985 title, won 30 years after the "Atléticos"'s last title.

In 1985, Ortiz traveled to the United States mainland to play collegiate basketball for Oregon State University, where he was instructed by legendary coach Ralph Miller and was a teammate of future NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton during the latter's freshman year. He stayed at OSU for two years, winning the Pac 10 Player of the Year award in 1987, defeating (among others) Reggie Miller of UCLA. He earned NCAA All-American honors in the 1986-1987 NCAA season. He was then selected by the Utah Jazz with the #15 pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft. After a year in Spain, Ortiz joined the Jazz for the 1988-89 season, where he stayed that season and for a portion of the 1989-90 season. He then returned to Spain, where he played many years.

In 1991, Ortiz helped the Puerto Rican National basketball team earn a gold medal at the Pan American Games, held in Havana, Cuba.

In 1997, he was released by the "Atléticos" and signed with expansion team "Cangrejeros de Santurce" (Santurce Crabbers), which proceeded to win 4 national championships in a row.

After the 2002 world championships of basketball, held at Indianapolis, Ortiz announced his retirement from the national team, to coincide with national teammate Jerome Mincy's retirement from the team. He would reconsider his decision later and rejoin the national team.

In 2003, Ortiz and the Cangrejeros won their fifth BSN championship in six years.

Ortiz as a sports personality seems affable to his fans and doesn't like to miss an opportunity to sign autographs.

José Ortiz was being seriously considered to carry the Puerto Rican flag at the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, where he will participate at the Olympics for the fifth time. The honor was later given to his teammate Carlos Arroyo.

For the 2006 BSN season he signed with Arecibo, and after an injury he was dropped. Santurce and San German made attempts to sign him, but he eventually decided to retire.

On May 2, 2007 on the Santurce Crabbers home opener, a ceremnoy was held before the game to honor "Picu". The Crabbers season will be dedicated to him, and the number 4, which he wore, was retired from the team, having his number next to Teo Cruz's in the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

Ortiz is running for Senator representing the San Juan District with the Popular Democratic Party in the 2008 general elections.Fact|date=June 2007

He also is the owner of a restaurant in his native Cayey.Fact|date=June 2007

Career statistics

NBA: (64 games)
* 183 total points with 2.9 PPG
* 18 total assists with a 0.3 APG
* 73 total rebounds with a 1.1 RPG
* .443 field goal percentage
* .596 free throw percentage
* .333 3-point percentage

NCAA: (53 games)
* 1,029 total points with a 19.8 PPG
* 77 total assists with a 1.5 APG
* 73 total blocks with a 1.4 BPG
* 49 total steals with a 0.9 SPG
* 450 total rebounds with an 8.7 RPG
* .557 field goal percentage
* .703 free throw percentage
* .500 3-point percentage

ee also

*List of famous Puerto Ricans

External links

* [http://basketaris.bravehost.com/ BASKET ARIS Unofficial fans site dedicated to ARIS B.C.]