José Ortiz (basketball)
José Rafael "Piculín" Ortiz Rijos (born October 25, 1963) is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player. He played in the NCAA, NBA, various European teams, and in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).
Ortiz (left) in 2007 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1963 Aibonito, Puerto Rico |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Benjamin Harrison (Cayey, Puerto Rico) |
| College | Oregon State (1985–1987) |
| NBA draft | 1987: 1st round, 15th overall pick |
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | |
| Playing career | 1980–2006 |
| Position | Power forward / center |
| Number | 4, 44 |
| Career history | |
| 1980–1991 | Atléticos de San Germán |
| 1987–1988 | CAI Zaragoza |
| 1988–1990 | Utah Jazz |
| 1990 | Real Madrid |
| 1990–1992 | FC Barcelona |
| 1992–1993 | Festina Andorra |
| 1993–1994 | Unicaja Polti |
| 1994–1996 | Atléticos de San Germán |
| 1994–1995 | Gymnastikos S. Larissas |
| 1995–1996 | Iraklio Crete |
| 1996–1997 | Aris |
| 1997 | Guaiqueríes de Margarita |
| 1997–1998 | Aris |
| 1998–2005 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2006 | Capitanes de Arecibo |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 8,925 (17.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 5,314 (10.5 rpg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| FIBA Hall of Fame as player | |
While he was in the NBA, he played with the Utah Jazz. He played with the Puerto Rican clubs Atléticos de San Germán, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Capitanes de Arecibo, while he was in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Ortiz was also a member of the senior Puerto Rican national team, from 1983 to 2004. Most notably, he was a member of the 2004 Puerto Rican team that defeated the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. With Puerto Rico, Ortiz played in four different Summer Olympics, as he played at the 1988 Seoul Games, the 1992 Barcelona Games, the 1996 Atlanta Games, and the 2004 Athens Games.
Ortiz holds various honors and records as a basketball player. He ranks fourth and sixth among the all-time statistical leaders for rebounds per game and total rebounds, in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league. He was also just the third player to have won eight championships in the BSN league. Ortiz was also the first Puerto Rican-born player that was drafted into the NBA. Many basketball experts consider Ortiz to be the best Puerto Rican basketball player of all-time.
Despite his success in sports, Ortiz went through financial troubles, after he retired from playing professional club basketball. In 2011, he was arrested for the possession of 218 marijuana plants. He was sentenced to six months in prison.
On August 30, 2019, Ortiz was inducted into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame, in honor of his career with the senior Puerto Rican national basketball team, and his club career, that spanned a period of 26 years.