Orlando Vega

Last updated
Orlando Vega Smith
Personal information
Born (1968-06-16) June 16, 1968 (age 55)
Brooklyn, New York
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school Oak Hill Academy
(Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Position Shooting guard / small forward
Career highlights and awards
Orlando Vega
Medal record
Representing Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico
Men’s Basketball
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1993 Ponce, Puerto Rico Team Competition
Goodwill Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1994 Saint Petersburg, Russia Team Competition
Tournament of the Americas
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1995 Tucuman and Neuquen, Argentina Team Competition
Pan American Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1999 Winnipeg Team Competition

Orlando Vega Smith (born June 16, 1968) is a retired basketball player from Puerto Rico.

Contents

High school basketball

A 6' 4" shooting guard / small forward, Vega played for Oak Hill Academy, finishing the 1987–88 season with an average of 30.6 ppg, the highest single season scoring average in school history. Vega's highlights during that season included scoring 48 points against New Hampton School. [1] For his performance that year, Vega was named the school's MVP. Also, during the 1988 Dapper Dan Roundball Classic, one of the nation's premier showcases for high school basketball talent, Vega earned the MVP trophy, beating out teammates, and future notable NBA players Alonzo Mourning, Chris Jackson, Billy Owens and Shawn Kemp. The opposing squad featured LaPhonso Ellis and Anthony Peeler. [2] After the 1987–88 season, Vega was recruited by The University of Arizona and later transferred to Providence but never played. Instead, he returned to Puerto Rico and became a star on the island's professional circuit.

National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico

In 1988 he made his debut on the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico (BSN), playing for the Quebradillas Pirates. Vega quickly became an impact player, completing his rookie season with a respectable average of 18.7 ppg. Two seasons later, during the 1990 tournament he led the league in scoring, averaging 29.9 ppg along with 8.3 rpg while shooting 40% from three-point range. He played a total of 18 seasons in Puerto Rico with the Quebradillas Pirates, Caguas Creoles, Ponce Lions, Isabela Fighting Cocks, and the Arecibo Captains, finishing with career averages of 19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg and a 36% effectiveness in 3pt field goal attempts. [3] Vega signed a free-agent contract with the L.A. Clippers during the 1994 preseason, but did not make the roster. [4]

International career

He played in the 1994 and 1998 FIBA World Basketball Championship. [5] He was also a member of the gold winning Puerto Rican National Basketball Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vega won the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games while also playing in the 1993 and 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games, the 1995(where the team won the gold medal) and 1999 FIBA Americas Championship, and in the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games. [6] Vega has played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Turkey, Venezuela, Cyprus and in Spain's Liga ACB, where he joined Caja Cantabria during the 1998 season, averaging 18.4 ppg. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baloncesto Superior Nacional</span> First tier level mens professional basketball league in Puerto Rico

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.

Jerome Alfred Mincy Clark is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player who was born to Shelly and Willie Mincy at Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on November 10, 1964. He played in the NCAA with the UAB Blazers and the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) with Vaqueros de Bayamón. He was a member of the Puerto Rican national team from 1983 to 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaqueros de Bayamón</span> Basketball team in Bayamón, Puerto Rico

The Vaqueros de Bayamón is a professional basketball team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, actively participating in the National Superior Basketball League (BSN). Founded in 1930, the team has been a significant participant in the development of basketball in Puerto Rico. They stage their home games at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum. As of 2023, the Vaqueros have secured a total of 16 BSN championships, the most in the League's history. The team also holds a league record for winning 29 games during their 1993 season. The Vaqueros de Bayamón's contributions to the BSN have been instrumental in Puerto Rico's representation in the global basketball scene.

Peter John Ramos Fuentes, nicknamed as Mr. Beast, is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player and professional wrestler. He is the sixth athlete from Puerto Rico to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the third drafted, gathering success in the NBA Development League (NBDL), where he was an All Star during the 2006–07 season. Ramos has also played in Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was a member of the Puerto Rico national basketball team from 2004 to 2016, making his Olympic debut in the game where Puerto Rico defeated the United States at Athens.

Christian Dalmau is a Puerto Rican retired professional basketball player, and current head coach of the Indios de Mayagüez in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He is the second son of the legendary Puerto Rican basketball star Raymond Dalmau. Dalmau has played in the NCAA, the National Basketball Development League, and the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico. Dalmau has played internationally in Turkey, Poland, and Israel. Dalmau was a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team that defeated the United States in the 2004 Olympic Games.

Elías "Larry" Ayuso is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player, who currently serves as head coach for the Piratas de Quebradillas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Internationally, Ayuso has represented and played for the Puerto Rican national team since 2001. He was part of the 2004 team that defeated the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Williams (basketball, born 1985)</span> American basketball player

Marcus Darrell Williams is an American former professional basketball player. He played with numerous teams across Europe and Asia. Standing at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), he plays the point guard position. He was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. Prior to becoming professional player, he played college basketball for the University of Connecticut (UConn).

Guillermo Díaz is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Gigantes de Carolina of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Díaz was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2006, becoming the fifth Puerto Rican ever drafted by the NBA and the eighth to play there. He has also played professionally in Europe and in Puerto Rico.

Alejandro "Bimbo" Carmona is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for the Gigantes de Carolina of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). After going undrafted in the 2005 NBA draft, Carmona participated in 2005 pre-season training camp of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association, and then played with the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League. Since then, he has been playing in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) with Gigantes de Carolina, Vaqueros de Bayamón, Indios de Mayagüez, Brujos de Guayama and Piratas de Quebradillas. Carmona was a member of the Puerto Rico national basketball team since 2006.

Miguel Ali Berdiel is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Leones de Ponce of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Berdiel has played in the NCAA, CBA, the NBA G League, and the BSN. Internationally, Berdiel has played in Belgium, Slovenia, Cyprus, Mexico and Uruguay. Berdiel was a member of the Puerto Rico national basketball team from 2007 until 2014.

Angelo Reyes is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. Reyes was born in New York he has played in the United States American Basketball Association, the Premier Basketball League, the Dominican Republic Liga Nacional de Baloncesto, the Mexico Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, the Uruguayan Federacion Uruguaya de Basquetbol FUBB, the Australian National Basketball League, and the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Reyes has been a member of the Puerto Rican National Team since 2006.

Javier Antonio "Toñito" Colón is a retired Puerto Rican basketball player. Colón spent his entire career as a point guard for the Leones de Ponce of the BSN from 1987 to 2008. Colón led the team to five championships during his career, and is currently third on assists of all-time in the league. Colón also played for the Puerto Rico National Basketball Team from 1990 to 1999.

James Raymond Carter Gaudino is a retired Puerto Rican basketball player. Carter spent most of his career as a point guard for the Brujos de Guayama of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Carter is currently the all-time assists leader of the league. During his 20-year career, he also played for the Indios de Mayagüez, Criollos de Caguas, Maratonistas de Coamo, and Capitanes de Arecibo. Carter also played since 1992 to the year 2000 for the Explosivos de Moca of the Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Browne (basketball)</span> Puerto Rican basketball player

Gary Browne Ramírez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He also represents the Puerto Rican national team.

Alvin Cruz is a professional basketball player who played for the Niagara University men's university basketball team from 2001 to 2005. He is currently playing in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional for the Grises de Humacao. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cruz played with the Puerto Rico U21 National Team-01 and Puerto Rico National Team-05 as well as in several different professional teams overseas.

Jose "Willie" Quiñones Figueroa is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player who played for 20 seasons on Puerto Rico's top professional basketball league, Baloncesto Superior Nacional, with the Criollos de Caguas, Maratonistas de Coamo, Vaqueros de Bayamon, Gigantes de Carolina and Titanes de Morovis basketball teams. He was also a member of the Puerto Rico men's national basketball team.

The Titanes de Morovis were a professional basketball team from Morovis, Puerto Rico, which played in the country's top pro basketball league, the BSN. They won their only national championship in 1987, defeating the 1986 champions Polluelos de Aibonito, 4 games to 3.

Isaac Sosa Carrion is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Osos de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played collegiate basketball at UCF and Canisius University, and his professional career includes stops in Greece, Argentina, Mexico, Poland, and Puerto Rico. He represents Puerto Rico internationally.

Baloncesto Superior Nacional Scoring Champion are the season by season points leaders of the top-tier level professional basketball league in Puerto Rico, the BSN. It was inaugurated during the 1956–57 season.

References

  1. ↑ OAK HILL BASKETBALL. Dave Iannone.2007.INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCORING GAMES. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from "Individual High Scoring Games - Oak Hill Basketball - Oak Hill Academy". Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  2. ↑ Chris Dufresne. "Finding Release With Clippers : After Serving Time in Prison, Free Agent Orlando Vega Tries to Revive Basketball Career". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1994.
  3. ↑ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=File:Ambox+important.svgThis+biography+of+a+living+person+needs+additional+citations+for+verification.+Please+help+by+adding+reliable+sources.+Contentious+material+about+living+persons+that+is+unsourced+or+poorly+sourced+must+be+removed+immediately,+especially+if+potentially+libelous+or+harmful.Find+sources: %22Orlando+Vega%22 – news ·+newspapers ·+books ·+scholar ·+JSTOR++(February+2009)+(Learn+how+and+when+to+remove+this+template+message)
  4. ↑ Chris Dufresne. "Finding Release With Clippers : After Serving Time in Prison, Free Agent Orlando Vega Tries to Revive Basketball Career". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1994.
  5. ↑ Chris Young. "Miller time for Dreamers in usual romp". Toronto Star. August 11, 1994. D4.
  6. ↑ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=File:Ambox+important.svgThis+biography+of+a+living+person+needs+additional+citations+for+verification.+Please+help+by+adding+reliable+sources.+Contentious+material+about+living+persons+that+is+unsourced+or+poorly+sourced+must+be+removed+immediately,+especially+if+potentially+libelous+or+harmful.Find+sources: %22Orlando+Vega%22 – news ·+newspapers ·+books ·+scholar ·+JSTOR++(February+2009)+(Learn+how+and+when+to+remove+this+template+message)
  7. ↑ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=File:Ambox+important.svgThis+biography+of+a+living+person+needs+additional+citations+for+verification.+Please+help+by+adding+reliable+sources.+Contentious+material+about+living+persons+that+is+unsourced+or+poorly+sourced+must+be+removed+immediately,+especially+if+potentially+libelous+or+harmful.Find+sources: %22Orlando+Vega%22 – news ·+newspapers ·+books ·+scholar ·+JSTOR++(February+2009)+(Learn+how+and+when+to+remove+this+template+message)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.