Puerto Rican basketball legend Jose 'Piculín' Ortiz dies aged 62
Puerto Rican basketball legend Jose 'Piculín' Ortiz passed away on Tuesday at the age of 62 following a battle with colorectal cancer, News.Az reports, citing Readers.id.
The Puerto Rico Basketball Federation confirmed that he died at Ashford Hospital, where he had been hospitalized since May 1.
Ortiz, who was diagnosed with the illness in late 2023, spent his final days surrounded by his wife, Sylvia Rios, and daughter, Neira.
Born in Aibonito and raised in Cayey, the 6-foot-11 center became a defining figure in Puerto Rican basketball both locally and on the international stage.
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He began his professional career at just 17 years old in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional with the Atléticos de San Germán. In 1987, Ortiz made history as the first Puerto Rican selected in the NBA Draft, when the Utah Jazz picked him 15th overall.
Reflecting on his early career during a 2019 ceremony honoring him, Ortiz spoke about his connection to San Germán, where his jersey number was retired. “I have always appreciated San Germán very much and the opportunity it gave me. It is a franchise I value deeply, because a large part of my trajectory I owe to this town,” he said.
After his time in the NBA, Ortiz continued his career in Europe, playing for top clubs such as Real Madrid Baloncesto and FC Barcelona Bàsquet. He also represented Puerto Rico in four Olympic Games, highlighted by the historic victory over the United States “Dream Team” at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Recalling the qualifying match against Canada that secured Puerto Rico’s place in Athens, Ortiz described the emotional significance of that performance in a 2013 interview. He admitted that a painful loss to Canada in 1999 had nearly pushed him toward international retirement, but he was determined to redeem that setback and avoid another disappointment on home soil.
In that decisive qualifying game, Ortiz delivered an outstanding performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and seven blocks, sealing his final Olympic appearance. He later described it as the best individual performance of his career.
Ortiz retired from professional basketball in 2006 with the Capitanes de Arecibo. Beyond his playing career, he launched a video podcast titled “El GOATCast” in 2024. He is survived by his wife, his children Gabriel and Neira, his mother Elba, and his siblings.
By Nijat Babayev
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