Milt Palacio
Encyclopedia
Milton Sigmund Palacio referred to as Milt Palacio, is a Belizean American
professional basketball
player. He currently plays with the pro club Obradoiro CAB
in Spain
. He was born and raised in Los Angeles
, California
, to Belize
an parents and is a Belizean citizen.
, in Gardena
, California
. He played college basketball
at Midland College
and Colorado State University
, going undrafted in 1999
. In his three years with the Rams
, Palacio averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.
career, from 1999 to 2006, Palacio has played for the Vancouver Grizzlies
, Boston Celtics
, Phoenix Suns
, Cleveland Cavaliers
, Toronto Raptors
and Utah Jazz
, with a career scoring average of 4.8 points per game.
His most notable achievement was scoring a buzzer beater
for the Celtics in their shocking victory over the New Jersey Nets
on December 28, 2000. With the Nets leading 111–109 and inbounding the ball with less than 2 seconds remaining, Palacio stole a pass from Lucious Harris
and threw up an off-balance shot from 30 feet away. Improbably, the shot swished through the net, giving the Celtics a 112–111 victory. Basketball writers dubbed Palacio with the nickname "Miracle Milt", as a recognition of this incredible incident.
Despite a solid season with the Jazz, Palacio was a free agent
at the start of the 2006–07 pre-season. He eventually caught on with the Seattle SuperSonics
, but was waived before the regular season start, unable to unseat Mike Wilks
as the third-string point guard behind Luke Ridnour
and Earl Watson
.
In the 2007–08 season, Palacio began a Europe
an adventure, signing for ex-European champions KK Partizan
in Serbia
. While struggling mightily at times to begin the year, he learned the European game quickly, playing some great basketball in the second half of the season and being named Euroleague's MVP for the month of March 2008, helping Partizan reach the last 8 of the competition for the first time in 10 years. In this season Palacio won triple crown with Partizan, winning the Serbian League, Serbian Cup
and Adriatic League.
During the 2008 summer transfer window, Palacio moved to the Russia
n club BC Khimki. After a year there, in September 2009, he rejoined KK Partizan
, but was released from his contract few weeks later, after he had not joined the team on time. On January 5, 2010, Palacio signed a contract with the Greek League club Kavala. In 16 games for Kavala, Palacio averaged 10.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game, which has helped the club avoid relegation.
On May 4, 2010, Palacio moved to Spain
and signed with Caja Laboral
by the end of the 2009–10 season
. He helped the Basque team to win the national title for the third time in the club history, beating Barcelona
3–0 in the final series. He then returned to Kavala for the 2010–11 season, signing a one-year contract. He averaged 15.7 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals during the regular season, and thus led the team to the play-offs. After the team was eliminated by PAOK
, Palacio again moved to Caja Laboral
until the end of season.
In August 2011, Palacio signed a one-year deal with Obradoiro CAB
.
to a gold medal
at the 1998 CARICOM Basketball Championship
, which the country hosted.
Palacio was also a member of the team that won a silver medal at the 2009 FIBA COCABA Championship
, held in Cancún
, Mexico
, losing in the finals of the hosts
106–103.
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 53 || 0 || 7.4 || .439 || .000 || .595 || 1.0 || .9 || .4 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Boston
| 58 || 6 || 19.7 || .472 || .333 || .848 || 1.8 || 2.6 || .8 || .0 || 5.9
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Boston
| 41 || 0 || 12.6 || .385 || .353 || .706 || 1.2 || 1.3 || .5 || .1 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 28 || 1 || 9.7 || .380 || .143 || .783 || .8 || 1.0 || .3 || .0 || 2.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 80 || 46 || 24.7 || .418 || .216 || .747 || 2.9 || 3.2 || .8 || .2 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Toronto
| 59 || 13 || 20.5 || .349 || .154 || .662 || 1.7 || 3.1 || .7 || .2 || 4.4
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Toronto
| 80 || 4 || 19.2 || .446 || .167 || .742 || 1.7 || 3.5 || .6 || .2 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Utah
| 71 || 18 || 19.4 || .424 || .063 || .653 || 1.9 || 2.7 || .7 || .2 || 6.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 470 || 88 || 17.9 || .419 || .235 || .719 || 1.8 || 2.5 || .6 || .1 || 4.8
Belizean American
Belizeans are people originating in the Central American nation of Belize whether they live there or in the Belizean diaspora.-Diaspora:About 1 out of every 3 Belizeans now live overseas and outside of Belize; the majority have migrated to Anglophone countries, especially the United States, where...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He currently plays with the pro club Obradoiro CAB
Obradoiro CAB
Obradoiro Clube de Amigos do Baloncesto , also known as Blu:sens Monbús by sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, that is part of the ACB League...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He was born and raised in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
an parents and is a Belizean citizen.
College career
Palacio attended Junípero Serra High SchoolJunípero Serra High School (Gardena, California)
Junípero Serra High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Gardena, California, a suburban city located 14 miles southwest from downtown Los Angeles. Honored as a State School of the Year, Serra is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.-Background:Junípero Serra High...
, in Gardena
Gardena, California
Gardena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 58,829 at the 2010 census, up from 57,746 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gardena is located at ....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Midland College
Midland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
and Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, going undrafted in 1999
1999 NBA Draft
The 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
. In his three years with the Rams
Colorado State Rams
Colorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports, including 10 for women and six for men...
, Palacio averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Professional career
In a seven-year NBANational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
career, from 1999 to 2006, Palacio has played for the Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's...
, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
and Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, with a career scoring average of 4.8 points per game.
His most notable achievement was scoring a buzzer beater
Buzzer beater
In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end-of-quarter or halftime buzzer...
for the Celtics in their shocking victory over the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on December 28, 2000. With the Nets leading 111–109 and inbounding the ball with less than 2 seconds remaining, Palacio stole a pass from Lucious Harris
Lucious Harris
Lucious H. Harris is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft. Harris has played for the Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers in 12 NBA seasons...
and threw up an off-balance shot from 30 feet away. Improbably, the shot swished through the net, giving the Celtics a 112–111 victory. Basketball writers dubbed Palacio with the nickname "Miracle Milt", as a recognition of this incredible incident.
Despite a solid season with the Jazz, Palacio was a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at the start of the 2006–07 pre-season. He eventually caught on with the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, but was waived before the regular season start, unable to unseat Mike Wilks
Mike Wilks (basketball)
Michael Sharod Wilks, Jr. is an American professional basketball point guard who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
as the third-string point guard behind Luke Ridnour
Luke Ridnour
Lucas Robin "Luke" Ridnour is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was born in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and grew up in Blaine, Washington.- High school career :...
and Earl Watson
Earl Watson
Earl Joseph Watson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Watson is a graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas...
.
In the 2007–08 season, Palacio began a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an adventure, signing for ex-European champions KK Partizan
KK Partizan
Košarkaški klub Partizan is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based club Partizan. The club competes in the Serbian League, Adriatic League and the Euroleague....
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. While struggling mightily at times to begin the year, he learned the European game quickly, playing some great basketball in the second half of the season and being named Euroleague's MVP for the month of March 2008, helping Partizan reach the last 8 of the competition for the first time in 10 years. In this season Palacio won triple crown with Partizan, winning the Serbian League, Serbian Cup
Kup Radivoja Koraća
Kup Radivoja Koraća is the national basketball cup of Serbia. It is run by the Basketball Federation of Serbia.-History:-External links:**...
and Adriatic League.
During the 2008 summer transfer window, Palacio moved to the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n club BC Khimki. After a year there, in September 2009, he rejoined KK Partizan
KK Partizan
Košarkaški klub Partizan is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based club Partizan. The club competes in the Serbian League, Adriatic League and the Euroleague....
, but was released from his contract few weeks later, after he had not joined the team on time. On January 5, 2010, Palacio signed a contract with the Greek League club Kavala. In 16 games for Kavala, Palacio averaged 10.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game, which has helped the club avoid relegation.
On May 4, 2010, Palacio moved to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and signed with Caja Laboral
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
by the end of the 2009–10 season
2009–10 ACB season
The 2009–10 ACB season was the 27th season of the Liga ACB. The regular season began on Saturday, October 10, 2009, and ended on Sunday, May 16, 2010.-Team Standings:...
. He helped the Basque team to win the national title for the third time in the club history, beating Barcelona
FC Barcelona Bàsquet
FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
3–0 in the final series. He then returned to Kavala for the 2010–11 season, signing a one-year contract. He averaged 15.7 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals during the regular season, and thus led the team to the play-offs. After the team was eliminated by PAOK
PAOK BC
P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki B.C. is the professional basketball department of the Greek multi-sports club P.A.O.K., originally founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues...
, Palacio again moved to Caja Laboral
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
until the end of season.
In August 2011, Palacio signed a one-year deal with Obradoiro CAB
Obradoiro CAB
Obradoiro Clube de Amigos do Baloncesto , also known as Blu:sens Monbús by sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, that is part of the ACB League...
.
Belizean national team
Palacio led BelizeBelize national basketball team
The Belize national basketball team is the official national representative of Belize in international men's basketball, playing in the FIBA Americas division, and more specifically, within the Central American region.-Men:...
to a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1998 CARICOM Basketball Championship
FIBA CBC Championship
The CBC Championship or Caribebasket is a FIBA-sponsored basketball tournament where national teams from the Caribbean participate. These countries make up Caribbean Basketball Confederation...
, which the country hosted.
Palacio was also a member of the team that won a silver medal at the 2009 FIBA COCABA Championship
FIBA COCABA Championship
The COCABA championship is a regional Central American qualifying tournament and the first of four possible steps that national teams have to place in qualifying for the Olympics....
, held in Cancún
Cancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, losing in the finals of the hosts
Mexico national basketball team
The Mexico national basketball team is the side that represents Mexico in men's international basketball competitions. The governing body of the team is the Asociación Deportiva Mexicana de Baloncesto – abbrev...
106–103.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Vancouver
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's...
| 53 || 0 || 7.4 || .439 || .000 || .595 || 1.0 || .9 || .4 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 58 || 6 || 19.7 || .472 || .333 || .848 || 1.8 || 2.6 || .8 || .0 || 5.9
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Boston
| 41 || 0 || 12.6 || .385 || .353 || .706 || 1.2 || 1.3 || .5 || .1 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 28 || 1 || 9.7 || .380 || .143 || .783 || .8 || 1.0 || .3 || .0 || 2.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
| 80 || 46 || 24.7 || .418 || .216 || .747 || 2.9 || 3.2 || .8 || .2 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 59 || 13 || 20.5 || .349 || .154 || .662 || 1.7 || 3.1 || .7 || .2 || 4.4
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Toronto
| 80 || 4 || 19.2 || .446 || .167 || .742 || 1.7 || 3.5 || .6 || .2 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Utah
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 71 || 18 || 19.4 || .424 || .063 || .653 || 1.9 || 2.7 || .7 || .2 || 6.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 470 || 88 || 17.9 || .419 || .235 || .719 || 1.8 || 2.5 || .6 || .1 || 4.8
External links
- Milt Palacio at NBA.com
- Milt Palacio at ACB.com
- Milt Palacio at ESAKE.gr
- Milt Palacio at Euroleague.net
- Milt Palacio at Basketball-Reference.com