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Orlando Melendez
Orlando Melendez
Orlando Melendez a.k.a. "El Gato" (The Cat) (born February 14, 1979), is the first Puerto Rican-born basketball player ever to play for the Harlem Globetrotters • Los Atleticos de San German (Puerto RicoBSN): 16 games; Atleticos de San German (Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), starting five) 2003-2004, 2006; • Grises Orientales de Humacao (SuperLeague 25, starting five) 2004; • Indios de Mayaguez (BSN): 20 games 2004-2005; • Guayanilla (SuperLeague 25, starting five) 2005; • Gallitos de Isabela (BSN): 31 games 2006; • Luxbasket camp in Wiltz 2006-2007: • AS Soleuvre (LUX-DBBL): 11 games; in Dec.’06 try-out at Eiffel Towers Den Bosch (NED-Eredivisie), in Feb.’07 moved to • Team Merry Monk Ballina (IRLSuperLeague): 8 games, 2007; *Maratonistas de Coamo (BSN, starting five), in May moved to • Cangrejeros de Santurce (BSN): 13 games, 2008; Cangrejeros de Santurce (BSN): Liga Americas: 6 games.[3]
Early years
Melendez was born in the City of Ponce, but lived and was raised in the town of Juana Diaz where he also received his primary and secondary education. When he was 14 years old, he would go home after school and with his basketball under his arm make take a 2-mile jog through the sugar cane fields every day to the nearest basketball court and practice the sport with the local kids. Running was in his blood since father used to run marathons, and his grandfather is a track and field expert.[1] He always grabbed a snack to eat during his trek and would drop crumbs along the way. As a result, when ever he arrived at the court he would be accompanied by an entourage of cats, thus his nickname "El Gato" (The cat). [2] Melendez tried out for his Juana Diaz high school basketball team and was accepted. Through an exchange student program, he was able to play at McDowell High School in Marion, North Carolina where he finished his senior year.[1]
Harlem Globetrotters
In 2007, Sam Worthen, the former Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Jazz guard, coached professionally in Puerto Rico. He also coached the Washington Generals the perennial Globetrotters punching bag. Worthen, impressed with Melendez’s ability to play and entertain suggested Melendez try out for the Globetrotters after the two had bumped into each other outside the San Juan apartment building in which they both lived.[1] In 2008, Melendez became the first Puerto Rican-born basketball player ever to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. He was not however, the first Hispanic of Puerto Rican descent to play for the Globetrotters. That distinction belongs to Orlando Antigua, whose mother is Puerto Rican and who in 1995 made Globetrotters history by becoming the first Hispanic and non-black to play for the team.[4] Melendez whose position is that of "power forward", injured his knee during training camp. He had surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus. Melendez was well enough for the
North Carolina Tar Heels
In 1997, Melendez was awarded a scholarship to the University of North Carolina. There he began his college basketball career by playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he appeared in the Final Fours in 1998 and 2000.[1] From 1998 to 2007, Melendez played for UNC and professionally in Europe and Puerto Rico. He played for: • N. Carolina (NCAA) 1998-1999, 2000-2001, 2002; • Leones de Ponce 1999-2000; *Polluelos de Aibonito (Puerto Rico-BSN) 2001-2002; • Toritos de Cayey (Puerto Rico-BSN), in May was traded to
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
start of the December 26th domestic season.[1]
Orlando Melendez
• Puerto Rican BSN Semifinals -03 • Irish Superleague Finalist -07 • Irish Superleague North Conference Runner-Up -07 • Puerto Rican BSN Champion -07
Awards/Achievements
Among Melendez’s awards and achievements are the following[3]: • NCAA Final Four -00 • ACC Champion Runner-Up -01 • Puerto Rico National Team -01-02 • Puerto Rican PRSBL All Star Game -01 • Central American Championships (Centrobasket) Champion -01 • Tournament of the Americas (Copa America) in Neuquin (ARG) –01(Semifinals) • "Gatorade" Dunking conterst in the Puerto Rican All Star Game -2002
See also
• List of famous Puerto Ricans
References
[1] ^ Harlem Globetrotters [2] Melendez adds a new country to Globetrotters [3] ^ U.S. Basket [4] New York Times - A Non-Black Player Joins Globetrotters
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Melendez" Categories: 1979 births, Puerto Rican basketball players, BSN players, Puerto Rican sportspeople, Living people This page was last modified on 28 February 2009, at 20:31 (UTC). All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) taxdeductible nonprofit charity. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers
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