Orlando Mendez-Valdez
Encyclopedia
Orlando Mendez-Valdez is a professional basketball
player playing in the Mexican
league Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional
(LNBP). He is currently in his third year with the Halcones UV Xalapa
, where he wears #20.
At the collegiate level, Mendez-Valdez played for Western Kentucky University
from 2005-2009. He was a member of the 2008 Sweet Sixteen team which included Courtney Lee
, Tyrone Brazelton, Ty Rogers, and Boris Siakam. In 2009, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
, and the Sun Belt Conference
Male Athlete of the Year. In addition, he received All-American
accolades, and recorded the first-ever triple double in Western Kentucky history.
Mendez-Valdez attended prep school at Charis Prep in Goldsboro, North Carolina
. He won the MVP award in the Bull City Classic, and led the team to a championship at the tournament.
Mendez-Valdez attended Lanier High School
in San Antonio, Texas
, where he graduated in 2004. He was named the San Antonio Player of the year his senior year, and his jersey number was retired in 2009.
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 playing in the Mexican
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...
league Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional
Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional
The Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional is the top professional basketball league in Mexico. The league was founded in 2000 with 11 teams, expanding to 24 as of 2008...
(LNBP). He is currently in his third year with the Halcones UV Xalapa
Halcones UV Xalapa
Halcones UV Xalapa is a basketball club based in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico that plays in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional . Their home games are played at Gimnasio Universitario de la Unidad Deportiva....
, where he wears #20.
At the collegiate level, Mendez-Valdez played for Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents WKU in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers currently compete in the Sun Belt Conference. The team's most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was in 2009...
from 2005-2009. He was a member of the 2008 Sweet Sixteen team which included Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee is an American basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd pick overall in the 2008 NBA Draft...
, Tyrone Brazelton, Ty Rogers, and Boris Siakam. In 2009, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
The Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the most outstanding men's basketball player in the Sun Belt Conference. The award was first given following the 1976–77 season...
, and the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
Male Athlete of the Year. In addition, he received All-American
2009 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
An All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...
accolades, and recorded the first-ever triple double in Western Kentucky history.
Mendez-Valdez attended prep school at Charis Prep in Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
. He won the MVP award in the Bull City Classic, and led the team to a championship at the tournament.
Mendez-Valdez attended Lanier High School
Lanier High School (San Antonio, Texas)
Sidney Lanier High School is a local high school of the San Antonio Independent School District in the westside of San Antonio, Texas. Serving the San Antonio Independent School District, Lanier boasts an enrollment of approximately 1400 students.-History:...
in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, where he graduated in 2004. He was named the San Antonio Player of the year his senior year, and his jersey number was retired in 2009.