Guillermo Diaz (basketball player)
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Diaz is a Puerto Rican
professional basketball
player. Diaz has played in the NCAA, NBA, ABA
for the Miami Tropics
, and the NBA D-League
with the Anaheim Arsenal
. Diaz was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers
of the NBA
in 2006, becoming the fifth Puerto Rican ever drafted by the NBA and the eighth to play there. Diaz has also played internationally in the Czech Republic
for ČEZ Basketball Nymburk
, Greece
for Olympiada Patras
, Italy
for several teams, and in Puerto Rico
with the Capitanes de Arecibo. He is most widely known for his stellar leaping ability.
, where he earned All-American status. At the University of Miami, he finished 10th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,477 points, including 174 three-point field goals. He garnered All-Big East Team Freshman First Team honors in 2003-04 and led Miami in scoring as both a sophomore and a junior. He was named to the All-ACC Team in both his sophomore and junior years.
, with the 52nd overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft
. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, Diaz participated with the team in the NBA Summer Pro League.
On August 16, 2007, Diaz signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Los Angeles Clippers
to 3 years $2 million, according to HOOPSHYPE.com. On October 25, Diaz was released at the conclusion of preseason, signing a free agent contract with the Anaheim Arsenal
of the NBDL. Through January 8, 2008, Diaz averaged 16.6 points per game in 14 games, with 7 starts.
On January 8, 2008, Diaz was signed to a 10-day contract with the Clippers, in which he debuted against the Phoenix Suns playing 5 minutes and registering 1 rebound. On January 18, the Clippers extended his contract for an additional 10 days. Through 6 games played in the NBA, Diaz scored 5 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished 1 assist in 18 minutes played. The contract was terminated on January 28, when the team decided not to offer a guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season.
for the NBA Summer League
2008.
in the Czech basketball league. On January 7, 2007, El Nuevo Dia
reported that Diaz would not return for the second half of the season, as stated by mentor Arturo Alvarez, as Diaz wasn't able to adapt to the different lifestyle that he experienced in the Czech Republic. By the time that Diaz decided to leave the Czech league, he was the second leading scorer in the whole league with an average of 20.1 points per game and had led Nymburk to a 15-1 season start.
Diaz also played in five games with AEP Olimpiada Patron
in the Greek League
in 2007, tallying 13.0 points per game.
In February 2008, he signed for Pepsi Caserta, a team in the LegADue
also known as Serie A2, second division of Italian professional basketball. He helped them win the championship in the 2008 season. For winning they were promoted to Serie A
in the 2008-2009 season.
However, the team owners decided to put a top salary of twenty five thousand dollars which led Diaz to remove his name from the list of players. This led former owner Miguel Mercado to create a movement inciting first-year players to withdraw their names from the draft; the controversy reached a conclusion when Mercado and the league reached an agreement. Diaz announced that he was going to skip participation on any league, continuing his participation in the Clippers summer league team.
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...
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. Diaz has played in the NCAA, NBA, ABA
American Basketball Association (2000–present)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
for the Miami Tropics
Miami Tropics
The Miami Tropics were a team in the Premier Basketball League that began to play in 2007 in Miami, Florida. The team was owned by the Imperiali Organization, which also owns the Palm Beach Imperials. They originally played their inaugural season in the American Basketball Association, but moved...
, and the NBA D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
with the Anaheim Arsenal
Anaheim Arsenal
The Anaheim Arsenal was a professional basketball team which played in NBA Development League from 2006-2009. They played their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, California....
. Diaz was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA
National 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...
in 2006, becoming the fifth Puerto Rican ever drafted by the NBA and the eighth to play there. Diaz has also played internationally in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
for ČEZ Basketball Nymburk
CEZ Basketball Nymburk
ČEZ Basketball Nymburk is a professional basketball team that plays in the top professional Czech basketball league, the NBL. The team is based in the town of Nymburk. The club's main sponsor is ČEZ, a Czech energy company.-History:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for Olympiada Patras
Olympiada Patras
Olympiada Patras BC, or AEP Olympias Patras BC, is a Greek professional basketball club that is located in Patras, Greece.- History :The basketball team participated in the Greek A2 League from 1977 until 1981. The club competed in the Greek A1 League in the 2006-07 season and the 2007-08 season...
, 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...
for several teams, and 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...
with the Capitanes de Arecibo. He is most widely known for his stellar leaping ability.
University of Miami
Diaz had a stellar college career at the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, where he earned All-American status. At the University of Miami, he finished 10th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,477 points, including 174 three-point field goals. He garnered All-Big East Team Freshman First Team honors in 2003-04 and led Miami in scoring as both a sophomore and a junior. He was named to the All-ACC Team in both his sophomore and junior years.
Los Angeles Clippers
Diaz declared his eligibility for the NBA draft following his junior year and was selected by the Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, with the 52nd overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft
2006 NBA Draft
The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players,...
. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, Diaz participated with the team in the NBA Summer Pro League.
On August 16, 2007, Diaz signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
to 3 years $2 million, according to HOOPSHYPE.com. On October 25, Diaz was released at the conclusion of preseason, signing a free agent contract with the Anaheim Arsenal
Anaheim Arsenal
The Anaheim Arsenal was a professional basketball team which played in NBA Development League from 2006-2009. They played their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, California....
of the NBDL. Through January 8, 2008, Diaz averaged 16.6 points per game in 14 games, with 7 starts.
On January 8, 2008, Diaz was signed to a 10-day contract with the Clippers, in which he debuted against the Phoenix Suns playing 5 minutes and registering 1 rebound. On January 18, the Clippers extended his contract for an additional 10 days. Through 6 games played in the NBA, Diaz scored 5 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished 1 assist in 18 minutes played. The contract was terminated on January 28, when the team decided not to offer a guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season.
NBA Summer League 2008
Guillermo Diaz was included on the Summer League roster of the Charlotte BobcatsCharlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
for the NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
2008.
Overseas career
For the 2006-2007 season he played for ČEZ Basketball NymburkCEZ Basketball Nymburk
ČEZ Basketball Nymburk is a professional basketball team that plays in the top professional Czech basketball league, the NBL. The team is based in the town of Nymburk. The club's main sponsor is ČEZ, a Czech energy company.-History:...
in the Czech basketball league. On January 7, 2007, El Nuevo Dia
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día is a Puerto Rican newspaper based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and distributed daily throughout Puerto Rico and some parts of the United States.- History :...
reported that Diaz would not return for the second half of the season, as stated by mentor Arturo Alvarez, as Diaz wasn't able to adapt to the different lifestyle that he experienced in the Czech Republic. By the time that Diaz decided to leave the Czech league, he was the second leading scorer in the whole league with an average of 20.1 points per game and had led Nymburk to a 15-1 season start.
Diaz also played in five games with AEP Olimpiada Patron
Olympiada Patras
Olympiada Patras BC, or AEP Olympias Patras BC, is a Greek professional basketball club that is located in Patras, Greece.- History :The basketball team participated in the Greek A2 League from 1977 until 1981. The club competed in the Greek A1 League in the 2006-07 season and the 2007-08 season...
in the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
in 2007, tallying 13.0 points per game.
In February 2008, he signed for Pepsi Caserta, a team in the LegADue
LegADue
Legadue or Lega2 is the second-highest division of professional club basketball in Italy since 2001-2002 season...
also known as Serie A2, second division of Italian professional basketball. He helped them win the championship in the 2008 season. For winning they were promoted to Serie A
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
in the 2008-2009 season.
Controversy with National Superior Basketball
After his departing from the Czech league Diaz announced that he was interested in including his name to the list of players in the BSN draft. He was involved in a movement that was trying to convince the team owners of the league to avoid the implementation of a salary top to first-year players.However, the team owners decided to put a top salary of twenty five thousand dollars which led Diaz to remove his name from the list of players. This led former owner Miguel Mercado to create a movement inciting first-year players to withdraw their names from the draft; the controversy reached a conclusion when Mercado and the league reached an agreement. Diaz announced that he was going to skip participation on any league, continuing his participation in the Clippers summer league team.
Career stats
- NBA: 6 games, 5 points (0.8 PPG), 1 assist (0.2), 2 rebounds (0.3), .250 field goal percentage and .600 free-throw percentage
- NBA Development LeagueNBA Development LeagueThe NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
: 14 games, 232 points (16.6 PPG), 42 assists (3.0), 51 rebounds (3.6), 8 steals (0.6), .487 field goal percentage, .857 free-throw and .313 3-point.
- NCAA: 93 games, 1477 points (15.9 PPG), 238 assists (2.6), 313 rebounds (3.4), 123 steals (1.3), .448 field goal percentage, .740 free-throw, and .380 3-point.
- ČEZ Basketball NymburkCEZ Basketball NymburkČEZ Basketball Nymburk is a professional basketball team that plays in the top professional Czech basketball league, the NBL. The team is based in the town of Nymburk. The club's main sponsor is ČEZ, a Czech energy company.-History:...
: 15 games, 301 points (20.1 PPG), 49 assists (3.3), .620 field goal percentage, .897 free-throw and .411 3-point.