May 5 (Reuters) - Puerto Rican basketball great Jose "Piculin" Ortiz has died at the age of 62 after battling colorectal cancer for several years, the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation confirmed on Tuesday.
"Today, Puerto Rico loses more than an athlete. It loses a legend. Thank you for so much joy and for representing our flag with pride," the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation said on X. "Your legacy will live on in every court and in every generation you inspired."
Ortiz was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, on October 25, 1963. At 2.08 meters tall, he emerged as a dominant figure in Puerto Rico's domestic league as a teenager and went on to win a record eight national championships.
After playing college basketball at Oregon State, Ortiz was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 15th pick in the NBA draft.
He first pursued a professional career in Europe, however, joining CAI Zaragoza in Spain. He later played briefly for the Utah Jazz.
Ortiz returned to Europe after his NBA stint and built a strong career in Spain, playing for leading clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Festina Andorra and Unicaja Malaga. He also played in Greece before finishing his career in his home country.
Ortiz was a fixture of the national team for two decades and was part of the squad that stunned the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics, one of the most significant results in Puerto Rican sports history.
He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2019.
His later years also included an unsuccessful run for political office and legal troubles, including a drug-possession conviction after authorities found more than 200 marijuana plants at a residence where he was living.
(Written by Carlos Serrano. Translated by Angelica Medina in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis)
