The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation.
José Rafael "Piculín" Ortiz Rijos 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).
Sports in Puerto Rico can be traced from the ceremonial competitions amongst the pre-Columbian Native Americans of the Arawak (Taíno) tribes who inhabited the island to the modern era in which sports activities consist of an organized physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose for competition. One of the sports which the Taíno's played was a ball game called "Batey". The "Batey" was played in U-shaped fields two teams; however, unlike the ball games of the modern era, the winners were treated like heroes and the losers were sacrificed.
The Puerto Rico national basketball team represents Puerto Rico in men's international basketball competitions, it is governed by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation, The team represents both FIBA and FIBA Americas.
Mets deGuaynabo are a Puerto Rican professional basketball team based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The Mets compete in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) as a member of the league's B Division. Founded in 1935 as the original Cangrejeros of Santurce franchise, the team relocated to Guaynabo in 1976 and became the Guaynabo Mets. The Mets play their home games at Mario Morales Coliseum, named after Mario "Quijote" Morales, who led the team to its three championships during the 1980s. The Mets also reached the BSN finals in 1991 and 1993, losing both times to the Leones of Ponce.The team dissolved in 2015, but was reinstated with new ownership in 2019.
Eddie Casiano Ojeda is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player and is currently the head coach for Atléticos de San Germán. He also was the head coach of the Puerto Rican national team.
Dr. Rebekah Colberg Cabrera, was a Puerto Rican athlete, who was known as "The Mother of Women's Sports in Puerto Rico". Colberg participated in various athletic competitions in the 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games celebrated in Panama where she won the gold medals in Discus and Javelin throw.
Juan "Pachín" Vicéns Sastre was a Puerto Rican basketball player. Vicéns was famous for his performance with the Leones de Ponce and with the Puerto Rican national basketball team. During the 1959 FIBA World Championship in Chile, Vicéns was declared to be the Best Player in the World.
Flor Meléndez Montañez is a Puerto Rican retired basketball player and current coach. He is a former head coach of Puerto Rico’s men’s national basketball team, Argentina men's national basketball team, and Panama men's national basketball team. Currently, he coaches in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional as an assistant coach for Gigantes de Carolina.
José Santori Coll was a Puerto Rican basketball player and coach. Santori was also, for a short period late in his life, a bachata singer; he recorded an album, named El Sentimiento de Fufi, which was musically directed by Harry Fraticelli, during 2011.
Juan Báez , also known as "Johnny" and "El Indio de la Vía", was a Puerto Rican basketball player. He played from 1953 to 1969 in Puerto Rico's Superior Basketball League and from 1957 to 1961 with the Real Madrid basketball Spanish basketball team in Europe. In 1957, Báez was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and points leader. In 2007, Báez was awarded Puerto Rico's top sports award, the Puerto Rico Olympic Medal of Honor. Báez was also inducted into Puerto Rico's Sports Hall of Fame.
Teófilo "Teo" Cruz Downs was a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. After playing college basketball, Cruz played in Puerto Rico's top-level league, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) with Cangrejeros de Santurce, Indios de Canóvanas, Mets de Guaynabo, Cardenales de Río Piedras, and Taínos de Mayagüez. Cruz also played in Spain with Picadero Damm, and in Belgium with Racing Club Mechelen.
Fernando Morales is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended in second place at the 2007 Pan-American Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There he was named Best Setter of the tournament, the same title he won in the 2009 edition of the same event. He won with his team the bronze medal at the 2010 Pan-American Cup. He is the son of Puerto Rican basketball legend Mario Morales and volleyball legend Eva Lopez, and the nephew of the also legendary basketball player Federico Lopez.
Orlando Meléndez Gilbert, a.k.a. "El Gato", is a Puerto Rican basketball player. He is the first Puerto Rico-born basketball player to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Luis Villafañe is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player who plays with Caciques de Humacao of the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. He also is a member of the Puerto Rico National Basketball Team.
Rafael Valle González was a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. In the 1950s and 1960s, he played with the Cangrejeros de Santurce and the Santos de San Juan teams in the Puerto Rican National Basketball League.
Football is one of the leading sports of Puerto Rico, ranking only behind baseball, basketball and boxing in national popularity and is the number one participation sport on the island. There has been a significant growth in the sport in recent years, as traditionally football has played a very small role in Puerto Rico. The sport on the island is governed by the Puerto Rican Football Federation, an affiliate of FIFA.
Jose Alicea Mirabal is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player. He played eleven seasons on the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league, from 1979 to 1993, excluding the 1984, 1985, 1988 and 1991 seasons.
The Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña (LBP) is the second tier of professional basketball in Puerto Rico. It is a FIBA-sanctioned league, founded by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. The current champions are the Capitalinos de San Juan.
