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 Aibonito, Puerto Rico
Died	May 5, 2026(2026-05-05) (aged 62) San Juan, Puerto Rico
High school	Benjamin Harrison (Cayey, Puerto Rico)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 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, 1997) 8× BSN champion (1985, 1991, 1994, 1998–2001, 2003) BSN Most Valuable Player (2002) LPB champion (1997) LPB Finals MVP (1997) No. 4 retired by Cangrejeros de Santurce 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 (October 25, 1963 – May 5, 2026) was a famous basketball player from Puerto Rico. He played for teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), in Europe, and in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league. Ortiz also played college basketball for the Oregon State Beavers.

He was a member of the Utah Jazz in the NBA. In Puerto Rico, he played for the Atléticos de San Germán, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Capitanes de Arecibo. Ortiz was also a key player for the senior Puerto Rican national team from 1983 to 2004. A highlight of his career was helping Puerto Rico defeat the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. He represented Puerto Rico in four different Summer Olympics: 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2004.

Ortiz achieved many honors and records in basketball. He is one of the top players in the BSN league for rebounds. 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 Ortiz is the best Puerto Rican basketball player ever.

On August 30, 2019, Ortiz was honored by being inducted into 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 Education

Growing Up in Puerto Rico

José Ortiz was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico on October 25, 1963. He grew up in Cayey. His parents, German Ortiz and Elba Ríjos, were both school teachers.

Ortiz started his basketball journey as a center at Benjamin Harrison School in Cayey. He earned the nickname Piculín from a character in The Wizard of Oz. He was also called The Concorde because of his height, which was 6 feet 11 inches. Ortiz later earned a college degree in Communications from Oregon State University.

College Basketball Career

Playing for the Oregon State Beavers

Ortiz attended Oregon State University from 1985 to 1987. He played college basketball for the Oregon State Beavers. His coach was Ralph Miller. During his time there, he played alongside future Basketball Hall of Fame player Gary Payton.

In his two seasons with the Beavers, Ortiz scored an average of 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 was even chosen over other great players like Reggie Miller of UCLA. Ortiz also received an NCAA DI All-American Honorable Mention in 1987.

Professional Basketball Journey

Playing in Puerto Rico

In 1980, at just 17 years old, Ortiz began his professional career. He joined the Atléticos de San Germán in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional league. He quickly became a better player. He led San Germán to a league championship in 1985. That season, he averaged over 25 points and 14 rebounds per game.

Ortiz led the team to another league title in 1991. He averaged 19 points and 15.8 rebounds per game that year. After the 1991 season, Ortiz left Puerto Rico to play in Europe. He returned in 1994 and helped San Germán win another championship.

In 1998, Ortiz moved to play with 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 league title in 2003. This made Ortiz one of only three players to win eight titles in the league.

Ortiz played with Santurce for two more years. In 2006, he played his final season with the Capitanes de Arecibo. He ended his BSN career with 8,915 points, 5,314 rebounds, and 1,134 assists in 505 games. Many experts still consider him the best Puerto Rican basketball player.

Time in the NBA

After college, Ortiz entered the 1987 NBA draft. The Utah Jazz selected him as the 15th overall pick in the first round. Before his first NBA season, he played for CAI Zaragoza in Spain.

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

He returned to the NBA for the 1989–90 season. He played 13 games with the Jazz before leaving the team in February 1990. Ortiz finished his NBA career averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He wore the number 44 during his NBA career.

Playing in Europe

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

After his time with the Jazz in 1990, Ortiz signed with the Spanish club Real Madrid. He played with famous players like Fernando Romay and Antonio Martín Espina. Later, he moved to 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). He was one of the team's top rebounders during the 1991–92 ACB season.

Ortiz then played for other Spanish clubs, including Festina Andorra (1992–93) and Unicaja Polti (1993–94). He also played for Greek clubs like 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 of the league's finals.

National Team Career

Representing Puerto Rico

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 Caracas, Venezuela, in 1983. At the 1987 Pan American Games, Ortiz proudly carried 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 later changed his mind and rejoined the team. In 2004, he was part of the Puerto Rican team that famously defeated the 2004 Team USA at the Athens Summer Olympics.

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

Other Activities and Interests

Business Ventures

Ortiz opened a restaurant called Patria in his hometown of Cayey. However, the restaurant faced challenges and closed 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 San Juan-Guaynabo district in Puerto Rico's 2008 general elections. He ran with the Popular Democratic Party. However, both Ortiz and Pérez were not successful in their campaigns.

Community Work and Social Activism

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. He wanted to develop their performance in the sport.

Personal Life and Health

Family Life

Ortiz married actress Nirita Ruíz. They met while filming a commercial. They had one daughter, Volleyball player Neira. Ortiz also had a son from a previous relationship. The couple divorced in 2006. He later married Sylvia Ríos in 2021, after being in a relationship since 2009.

Health Challenges

In 2023, Ortiz was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He had surgery in January 2025 to treat his cancer. After two weeks in the hospital, he was released. However, he was re-hospitalized a few days later. The Puerto Rican Basketball Federation announced that blood donations were needed for the former basketball player. Ortiz passed away on May 5, 2026, at the age of 62.

Career Statistics

NCAA Statistics

NBA Statistics

BSN Statistics

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