{"id":531,"date":"2011-06-08T11:17:26","date_gmt":"2011-06-08T15:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/philvelez.com\/blog\/?p=531"},"modified":"2019-03-15T21:38:51","modified_gmt":"2019-03-16T01:38:51","slug":"puerto-ricans-in-the-nba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/philvelez.com\/blog\/?p=531","title":{"rendered":"Puerto Ricans in the NBA"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Jos\u00e9 Juan Barea<\/p><\/div>\n

I’ve been following the NBA Finals<\/a> closely and cheering for the Dallas Mavericks<\/a>, even though most basketball experts predict the Miami Heat will win the championship. I\u2019m rooting for the Mavericks mainly because of Jos\u00e9 Juan Barea<\/a>.<\/p>\n

JJ Barea<\/a> is the seventh Puerto Rican-born player to be in the NBA and the third ever to play in the NBA Finals. As a proud Puerto Rican, I’m just in awe to see a Boricua<\/a> in the NBA Finals. Barea was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico<\/a>, my mother\u2019s hometown.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m relatively a new professional basketball fan, so I missed supporting Carlos Arroyo<\/a> in the 2005 NBA Finals when he played for the runner-up Detroit Pistons (the San Antonio Spurs won that year.) Arroyo<\/a>, who was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico<\/a>, and now plays for the Boston Celtics, was a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team<\/a> that defeated the United States at the 2004 Olympic Basketball Tournament.<\/p>\n

The first Puerto Rican-born NBA player and the first to win a championship ring is Butch Lee<\/a>, who was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico<\/a> and was drafted by the NBA in 1978. He played for the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the 1980 championship winning L.A. Lakers.<\/p>\n

The other four Puerto Rican-born NBA players include: Ramon Rivas<\/a>, the second Puerto Rican-born NBA player; Jos\u00e9 Ortiz<\/a>, also a member of the 2004 Olympic Puerto Rican Basketball Team; Peter Ramos<\/a>, also on the 2004 Puerto Rican Basketball Team; and Guillermo Diaz<\/a>, the fifth Puerto Rican-born player drafted by the NBA.<\/p>\n

As we all know, you don\u2019t have to be born in Puerto Rico to be Puerto Rican, so I have to give a shout out to New York Knick Carmelo Anthony<\/a>, whose father is Puerto Rican. Go Melo! If I\u2019m missing any other Puerto Rican NBA player, please comment below.<\/p>\n

Last night the Mavericks tied the NBA Finals against the Heat forcing Game 6 in Miami this Sunday, which just happens to be the day of the National Puerto Rican Parade. I can\u2019t wait to see Barea representing all Boricuas on Sunday!<\/p>\n

Go JJ! Represent! Wepa!<\/p>\n

(Please see the comments section for players I missed.)<\/p>\n