José Ortiz (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
José Ortiz

Ortiz (left) in 2007
Personal information
Born	(1963-10-25) October 25, 1963 (age 61) Aibonito, Puerto Rico
High school	Benjamin Harrison (Cayey, Puerto Rico)
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Oregon State (1985–1987)
NBA Draft	1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15th overall
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Pro career	1980–2006
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
FIBA Korać Cup champion (1997) Spanish Cup winner (1991) Spanish League All-Star (1990) 2× Greek League All-Star (1996 I, 1997) 8× BSN champion (1985, 1991, 1994, 1998–2001, 2003) BSN Most Valuable Player (2002) LPB champion (1997) LPB Finals MVP (1997) Pac-10 Player of the Year (1987) 2× First-team All-Pac-10 (1986, 1987)
Career statistics
Points	8,925 (17.7 ppg)
Rebounds	5,314 (10.5 rpg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Puerto Rico FIBA AmeriCup Gold 1995 Argentina Silver 1988 Uruguay Silver 1993 Puerto Rico Silver 1997 Uruguay Bronze 2003 Puerto Rico Pan American Games Gold 1991 Cuba Bronze 1987 USA Centrobasket Gold 1989 Cuba Gold 1991 Mexico Gold 1993 Puerto Rico Gold 2001 Mexico Gold 2003 Mexico Silver 1999 Cuba Goodwill Games Gold 1994 Russia

José Rafael "Piculín" Ortiz Rijos (born October 25, 1963) is a famous former professional basketball player from Puerto Rico. He played basketball in college, in the NBA, for many teams in Europe, and in Puerto Rico's top league, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).

Ortiz played for the Utah Jazz in the NBA. In Puerto Rico, he played for teams like the Atléticos de San Germán, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Capitanes de Arecibo. He was also a key player for the Puerto Rican national team from 1983 to 2004. A big moment was when his team beat the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Ortiz played in four different Summer Olympics for Puerto Rico.

He holds many records and awards in basketball. He is one of the top players for rebounds in the BSN league. He was also one of only three players to win eight championships in the BSN league. Ortiz was the first player born in Puerto Rico to be drafted into the NBA. Many basketball experts believe he is the best Puerto Rican basketball player ever.

After he stopped playing professional basketball, Ortiz faced some financial difficulties. He was later sentenced to six months in prison.

On August 30, 2019, Ortiz was honored by being added to the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame. This recognized his amazing 26-year career with both the Puerto Rican national team and his club teams.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Ortiz was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico on October 25, 1963. He grew up in Cayey. He started his basketball journey playing as a center at Benjamin Harrison High School in Cayey.

He got the nickname Piculín from a character in The Wizard of Oz. He was also called The Concorde because of his height (6 feet 11 inches), like the famous airplane. Ortiz later earned a college degree in Communications from Oregon State University.

College Basketball Career

Ortiz played college basketball for the Oregon State Beavers at Oregon State University. He played there from 1985 to 1987. His coach was Ralph Miller.

At Oregon State, he played alongside Gary Payton, who later became a famous Basketball Hall of Fame player. During his two years with the Beavers, Ortiz scored about 19.8 points and grabbed 8.7 rebounds per game. After the 1986–87 season, he was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year. He even finished ahead of Reggie Miller, another future Hall of Famer, in the voting.

Professional Basketball Journey

Playing in Puerto Rico

In 1980, when he was just 17, Ortiz started playing for the Atléticos de San Germán. This team was part of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league in Puerto Rico. As he got better, he helped San Germán win a league championship in 1985. That year, Ortiz averaged over 25 points and 14 rebounds per game.

He led the team to another championship in 1991, averaging 19 points and 15.8 rebounds. After 1991, Ortiz left Puerto Rico to play in Europe. He came back in 1994 and helped San Germán win yet another title.

In 1998, Ortiz joined the Cangrejeros de Santurce. He helped them win four championships in a row from 1998 to 2001. In 2002, Ortiz was named the Most Valuable Player of the league. He and the Cangrejeros won another title in 2003. This made Ortiz only the third player to win eight championships in the league.

Ortiz played with Santurce for two more years. In 2006, he played one season with the Capitanes de Arecibo before retiring. He ended his BSN career with 8,915 points and 5,314 rebounds. Many experts still consider him the best Puerto Rican basketball player ever.

Time in the NBA

After college, Ortiz entered the 1987 NBA draft. The Utah Jazz picked him as the 15th overall player in the first round. However, before his first NBA season, he decided to play for a team in Spain called CAI Zaragoza.

Ortiz joined the Jazz for the 1988–89 season. He played his first NBA game on November 9, 1988. In his first season, he played in 51 games and started 15 of them. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.

He returned to the NBA for the 1989–90 season, playing 13 games with the Jazz. He finished his short NBA career averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He wore the number 44 during his time in the NBA.

Playing in Europe

Ortiz joined the Spanish club CAI Zaragoza in 1987. He was the team's second-highest scorer during the 1987–88 ACB season, averaging 17.4 points per game. After that season, he went back to the U.S. to play for the Utah Jazz.

After leaving the Jazz in 1990, Ortiz signed with the Spanish club Real Madrid. He played with famous players like Fernando Romay there. After that season, he moved to another Spanish club, FC Barcelona Banca Catalana. With Barcelona, he won the Spanish King's Cup in 1991. He also helped Barcelona reach second place in the 1990–91 FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague).

Later, Ortiz played for other Spanish teams like Festina Andorra (1992–93) and Unicaja Polti (1993–94). He also played for Greek teams such as Gymnastikos S. Larissas (1994–95), Iraklio Crete (1995–96), and Aris Thessaloniki (1996–97). Ortiz helped Aris win the 1996–97 FIBA Korać Cup championship.

Playing in Venezuela

In 1997, Ortiz played for Guaiqueríes de Margarita in the Venezuelan League. He helped his team win the league championship. He was also named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league's finals.

National Team Career

In 1982, Ortiz was old enough to join the Puerto Rico's national basketball team. His first international competition was at the Pan American Games in Venezuela in 1983.

At the 1987 Pan American Games, Ortiz was chosen to carry the flag for Puerto Rico. His team won the bronze medal at that tournament. Ortiz also helped the Puerto Rican National team win a gold medal at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba.

After the 2002 FIBA World Cup, Ortiz announced he would retire from the national team. However, he changed his mind and rejoined the team. In 2004, he was part of the Puerto Rican team that famously beat the 2004 Team USA at the Athens Summer Olympics.

Overall, Ortiz played for Puerto Rico's national team in four FIBA World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002). He also played in four Summer Olympics (1988, 1992, 1996, and 2004).

Other Activities

Business Ventures

Ortiz opened a restaurant called Patria in his hometown of Cayey. However, the restaurant closed down in 2003.

Involvement in Politics

Ortiz became interested in politics after meeting politician Ferdinand Pérez in 2000. Pérez asked Ortiz for advice on laws related to sports. Ortiz decided to run for Senator in the 2008 elections in Puerto Rico. He ran for the Popular Democratic Party. However, he and Pérez did not win their elections. After this, Ortiz stepped back from politics.

Helping the Community

On May 28, 2011, Ortiz opened the Piculín Ortiz Basketball Institute in Cayey. His goal was to help local children and teenagers improve their basketball skills.

Personal Life

Ortiz married actress Nirita Ruíz. They have a daughter named Neira Ortiz, who is a Volleyball player. He also has a son from a previous relationship. Ortiz and Ruíz divorced in 2006. Since 2009, he has been in a relationship with Sylvia Ríos, and they married in 2021.

Health Update

In 2023, Ortiz was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Career Statistics

NCAA

NBA

BSN

Images for kids

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See also

In Spanish: José Rafael Ortiz para niños

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Puerto Rico Men's National Basketball Team
• Puerto Rico at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• Elías Larry Ayuso
• Carlos Arroyo