Ramon Rivas
Encyclopedia
Juan Ramón Rivas Contreras (born June 3, 1966) is a Puerto Rican
professional basketball
player. He is now the Spanish radio broadcaster for Orlando Magic
. Rivas was the second player from Puerto Rico
to play in the NBA, and half of the first duo of Puerto Ricans to be active in the NBA simultaneously. Rivas has played in the NBA, NCAA, and the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico
(BSN) with the Carolina Giants
.
Rivas has also played internationally in Spain
, Greece
, and Italy
. Rivas was a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team for several years. He represented Puerto Rico in the 1986 FIBA World Championship
in Malaga, Spain; 1988 Olympic Games
in Seoul, Korea; 1990 FIBA World Championship
in Buenos Aires, Argentina; 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona, Spain; and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States.
Pedro Albizu Campos High School
's team. Flor Melendez took note of his progress and signed him to play for the Carolina Giants
of the BSN. That year he was selected BSN Rookie of the Year.
The changes on the Carolina Giants
were evident when Rivas joined the team: From being one of the worst teams in the league during the 1983 tournament they got better every year. In 1987, the team almost reached the BSN playoffs, and, in 1988, the team finally reached the BSN playoffs for the first time, having the best record in the regular season. (1989 Regular Season: PPG.24.4, Reb.17.4 in 30 games)
from 1984 to 1988, going in four occasions to the NCAA post season tournament. He was coached by hall of famer coach John Chaney. Temple
was ranked 1st in the nation his senior year with a record of 34 wins and 2 losses. Playing with the Giants helped him gain experience and improve his game in the NCAA
. He became well known in the United States
as a center who could score points and rebounds in double figures, and was a respected player among his peers and critics.
announced that they would sign Rivas for a full season towards the end of the 1988 Olympic Games
in Seoul
. Having coincided with José Ortiz
's signing by the Utah Jazz
two weeks prior, Rivas' signing by the Celtics was a cause of great celebration for Puerto Ricans, many of whom felt their efforts in basketball were finally being recognized by the NBA.
With the Celtics, Rivas had the opportunity to share playing time alongside Larry Bird
, Kevin McHale
, Dennis Johnson
, Robert Parish
, Reggie Lewis
and Brian Shaw among others. The Celtics reached the playoffs by beating the Washington Bullets
by two games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NBA east that year, but were swept in three games by the eventual champion Detroit Pistons
in the playoffs' first round.
Because of his height, Rivas had to change playing positions when he arrived to the Celtics, going from playing center in Puerto Rico
, to forward in Boston.
After that season with the Celtics, he came back to Puerto Rico and received his first MVP honor playing for the Carolina Giants. That summer he was signed by a basketball club in Spain called Tau Vitoria, which became his home for the next 7 years.
in Seoul
, South Korea
, and in the 1992 Olympics, held at Barcelona
, Spain and the 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta. He also won the gold medal at the 1991 Pan American Games
, and participated in two FIBA World Championship
s.
Rivas played for TAU Vitoria
in the ACB
(Spanish league) from 1989 until 1995, winning the Kings Cup in 1994-1995. He went to the final European cup three consecutive years and finally in 1995-1996 won the European cup against Peja Stojakovic
's team PAOK Salonika, becoming the M.V.P of the final with 32 points and 15 rebounds. In 1996-1997 he won the Spanish league with the Barcelona Futbol Club and also came in second place in the Final Four European league, losing to Olimpiakos from Greece. The following year went to Athens to play for AEK Athens BC
, one of the biggest clubs in Greece. In 1998 he went back to Spain for his final year with the club Caceres CB. In 1999 he played in Italy for the club Fabriano
.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
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 is now the Spanish radio broadcaster for Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. Rivas was the second player from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to play in the NBA, and half of the first duo of Puerto Ricans to be active in the NBA simultaneously. Rivas has played in the NBA, NCAA, and the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico
National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico
The Baloncesto Superior Nacional or BSN is the main Puerto Rican men's basketball league. It currently has 10 teams, but has had many teams in several cities of the island. The league was established in 1929. It has produced players that have distinguished themselves in the NBA, European Leagues,...
(BSN) with the Carolina Giants
Carolina Giants
The Gigantes de Carolina are a team in the BSN league in Puerto Rico.-History:In 2008, the Gigantes advanced to the league's "Super 6" semifinals. The team earned a lead in this phase and came close to receiving a guaranteed spot in the league's final by defeating the Cangrejeros de Santurce in...
.
Rivas has also played internationally 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...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Rivas was a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team for several years. He represented Puerto Rico in the 1986 FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
in Malaga, Spain; 1988 Olympic Games
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, Korea; 1990 FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
in Buenos Aires, Argentina; 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona, Spain; and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States.
Early years
As a youngster, Rivas played at The San Juan Y.M.C.A for Millin Romero. He progressed through Carolina's minor basketball tournaments, becoming one of the best centers in Puerto Rico while he played for Levittown'sLevittown, Puerto Rico
Levittown, Puerto Rico, a suburb of the San Juan MSA and part of the municipality of Toa Baja, is one of the largest planned communities in Puerto Rico. It was developed by Levitt and Sons in 1963....
Pedro Albizu Campos High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
's team. Flor Melendez took note of his progress and signed him to play for the Carolina Giants
Carolina Giants
The Gigantes de Carolina are a team in the BSN league in Puerto Rico.-History:In 2008, the Gigantes advanced to the league's "Super 6" semifinals. The team earned a lead in this phase and came close to receiving a guaranteed spot in the league's final by defeating the Cangrejeros de Santurce in...
of the BSN. That year he was selected BSN Rookie of the Year.
The changes on the Carolina Giants
Carolina Giants
The Gigantes de Carolina are a team in the BSN league in Puerto Rico.-History:In 2008, the Gigantes advanced to the league's "Super 6" semifinals. The team earned a lead in this phase and came close to receiving a guaranteed spot in the league's final by defeating the Cangrejeros de Santurce in...
were evident when Rivas joined the team: From being one of the worst teams in the league during the 1983 tournament they got better every year. In 1987, the team almost reached the BSN playoffs, and, in 1988, the team finally reached the BSN playoffs for the first time, having the best record in the regular season. (1989 Regular Season: PPG.24.4, Reb.17.4 in 30 games)
College years
Rivas attended Temple UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
from 1984 to 1988, going in four occasions to the NCAA post season tournament. He was coached by hall of famer coach John Chaney. Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
was ranked 1st in the nation his senior year with a record of 34 wins and 2 losses. Playing with the Giants helped him gain experience and improve his game in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. He became well known in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a center who could score points and rebounds in double figures, and was a respected player among his peers and critics.
Signed by the NBA
Thanks to his notable NCAA career, the Boston CelticsBoston 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...
announced that they would sign Rivas for a full season towards the end of the 1988 Olympic Games
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Having coincided with José Ortiz
José Ortiz
José Rafael Ortiz , better known as Piculín or Picu, is a retired Puerto Rican professional basketball player...
's signing by the 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...
two weeks prior, Rivas' signing by the Celtics was a cause of great celebration for Puerto Ricans, many of whom felt their efforts in basketball were finally being recognized by the NBA.
With the Celtics, Rivas had the opportunity to share playing time alongside Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
, Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
, Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
, Reggie Lewis
Reggie Lewis
Reggie Lewis was an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics from 1987 to 1993.-Early life:...
and Brian Shaw among others. The Celtics reached the playoffs by beating the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
by two games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NBA east that year, but were swept in three games by the eventual champion Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the playoffs' first round.
Because of his height, Rivas had to change playing positions when he arrived to the Celtics, going from playing center in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, to forward in Boston.
After that season with the Celtics, he came back to Puerto Rico and received his first MVP honor playing for the Carolina Giants. That summer he was signed by a basketball club in Spain called Tau Vitoria, which became his home for the next 7 years.
International career
Rivas represented Puerto Rico as a member of the Puerto Rican national basketball team at the 1988 OlympicsOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and in the 1992 Olympics, held at Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain and the 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta. He also won the gold medal at the 1991 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, and participated in two FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
s.
Rivas played for TAU Vitoria
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...
in the ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
(Spanish league) from 1989 until 1995, winning the Kings Cup in 1994-1995. He went to the final European cup three consecutive years and finally in 1995-1996 won the European cup against Peja Stojakovic
Peja Stojaković
Predrag Stojaković , also known by his nickname Peja , is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . Standing at 6 ft 10 , Stojaković plays the small forward position...
's team PAOK Salonika, becoming the M.V.P of the final with 32 points and 15 rebounds. In 1996-1997 he won the Spanish league with the Barcelona Futbol Club and also came in second place in the Final Four European league, losing to Olimpiakos from Greece. The following year went to Athens to play for AEK Athens BC
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
, one of the biggest clubs in Greece. In 1998 he went back to Spain for his final year with the club Caceres CB. In 1999 he played in Italy for the club Fabriano
Fabriano Basket
Fabriano Basket, also known for sponsorship reasons as Indesit Fabriano, is an Italian professional basketball team from the town of Fabriano....
.
External links
- http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=AFC
- http://www.baskonia.com/web/1000_partidos_rev.asp
- http://www.nba.com/magic/espanol/Meet_Your_Staff-126682-66.html
- basketballreference.com
- http://www.basket-stats.info/olympic-games/1996/teams/puerto-rico.htm
- http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1989.html
- http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n30/PRSportsBeat0630-en.shtml