Orlando Vega
Encyclopedia
Orlando Vega Smith (born June 16, 1968 in Brooklyn
, New York
) is a retired professional basketball player from Puerto Rico
.
/Small forward
, Vega played for AAU
powerhouse Oak Hill Academy
, finishing the 1987-88 season with an average of 30.6 ppg, the highest single season scoring average in school history. Vega's highlights during that season included scoring 48 points against New Hampton School
. For his performance that year, Vega was named the school's MVP . Also, during the 1988 Dapper Dan Roundball Classic
, one of the nation's premier showcases for high school basketball talent, Vega earned the MVP trophy, beating out teammates, and future notable NBA players Alonzo Mourning
, Chris Jackson
, Billy Owens
and Shawn Kemp
.The opposing squad featured LaPhonso Ellis
and Anthony Peeler
. After the 1987-88 season, Vega was recruited by Arizona State and later transferred to Providence
but never played. Instead, he returned to Puerto Rico
and became a star on the island's professional circuit.
(BSN), playing for the Quebradillas Pirates
. Vega quickly became an impact player, completing his rookie season with a respectable average of 18.7 ppg. Two seasons later, during the 1990 tournament he led the league is scoring, averaging 29.9 ppg along with 8.3 rpg while shooting 40% from three point range. He played a total of 18 seasons in Puerto Rico with the Quebradillas Pirates
, Caguas Creoles
, Ponce Lions
, Isabela Fighting Cocks
, and the Arecibo Captains
, finishing with career averages of 19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg and a 36% effectiveness in 3pt field goal attempts . Vega signed a free-agent contract with the L.A. Clippers during the 1994 preseason, but didn't make the roster.
and 1998 FIBA World Basketball Championship
. He was also a member of the gold winning Puerto Rican National Basketball Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games
held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vega won the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games
while also playing in the 1993
and 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games
, the 1995
(where the team won the gold medal) and 1999 FIBA Americas Championship, and in the 1995
and 1999 Pan American Games
. Vega has played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association
(CBA), Turkey
, Venezuela, Cyprus
and in Spain's Liga ACB, where he joined Caja Cantabria
during the 1998 season, averaging 18.4 ppg.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is a retired professional basketball 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...
.
AAU Basketball
A 6' 4" Shooting guardShooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
/Small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
, Vega played for AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
powerhouse Oak Hill Academy
Oak Hill Academy (Virginia)
Oak Hill Academy is a co-educational, private Baptist-affiliated secondary school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, United States. Oak Hill's enrollment of approximately 150 students is 98% boarders, serving grades 8–12...
, finishing the 1987-88 season with an average of 30.6 ppg, the highest single season scoring average in school history. Vega's highlights during that season included scoring 48 points against New Hampton School
New Hampton School
New Hampton School is an independent college preparatory high school located in New Hampton, New Hampshire, in the New England region of the northeastern United States...
. For his performance that year, Vega was named the school's MVP . Also, during the 1988 Dapper Dan Roundball Classic
Roundball Classic
The Roundball Classic, originally known as The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic is well known in the sports world as the first national high school All Star basketball game...
, one of the nation's premier showcases for high school basketball talent, Vega earned the MVP trophy, beating out teammates, and future notable NBA players Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, Chris Jackson
Chris Jackson
Chris Jackson is the name of:* Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf , born Chris Wayne Jackson, American professional basketball player* Chris Jackson , Scottish association football player, see 1998–99 Hibernian F.C...
, Billy Owens
Billy Owens
Billy Eugene Owens is an American former professional basketball player.As a high school senior, Owens averaged 34 points per game, and helped lead Carlisle High School to four consecutive state titles. He was considered to be the second best prep player of 1988, behind Alonzo Mourning...
and Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Shawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
.The opposing squad featured LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
and Anthony Peeler
Anthony Peeler
Anthony Eugene Peeler is a retired American professional basketball player, having played for a number of NBA teams from 1992 to 2005...
. After the 1987-88 season, Vega was recruited by Arizona State and later transferred to Providence
Providence
Providence may refer to:* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island* Divine providence, the idea of divinely ordained events and outcomes- Entertainment :* Providence , a French/Swiss film directed by Alain Resnais...
but never played. Instead, he returned to 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...
and became a star on the island's professional circuit.
National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico
In 1988 he made his debut on the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto RicoNational 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), playing for the Quebradillas Pirates
Quebradillas Pirates
The Piratas de Quebradillas is a Puerto Rican basketball team, part of the National Superior Basketball League. Founded in the 1930s, it is one of the original teams of the league. The team had its most successful era during the 1970s, when they won 4 championships -including a threepeat- and...
. Vega quickly became an impact player, completing his rookie season with a respectable average of 18.7 ppg. Two seasons later, during the 1990 tournament he led the league is scoring, averaging 29.9 ppg along with 8.3 rpg while shooting 40% from three point range. He played a total of 18 seasons in Puerto Rico with the Quebradillas Pirates
Quebradillas Pirates
The Piratas de Quebradillas is a Puerto Rican basketball team, part of the National Superior Basketball League. Founded in the 1930s, it is one of the original teams of the league. The team had its most successful era during the 1970s, when they won 4 championships -including a threepeat- and...
, Caguas Creoles
Caguas Creoles (basketball)
The Criollos de Caguas are a BSN basketball team based in Caguas, Puerto Rico.-History:The Criollos professional basketball team began to play during the 1976 season, joining their counterparts the Criollos of baseball...
, Ponce Lions
Ponce Lions (basketball)
The Leones de Ponce are a BSN basketball team based in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The Lions are one of the BSN's most successful franchises, having won a total of twelve championships...
, Isabela Fighting Cocks
Gallitos de Isabela
The Gallitos de Isabela are a BSN basketball team from Isabela, Puerto Rico . They currently play at the Jose "Buga" Abreu Coliseum.-External links:* - Official site of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional ....
, and the Arecibo Captains
Arecibo Captains
The Capitanes de Arecibo are a team in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional , Puerto Rico's main basketball league. In 2010, the team also played in the Premier Basketball League under the name Capitanes de Puerto Rico....
, finishing with career averages of 19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg and a 36% effectiveness in 3pt field goal attempts . Vega signed a free-agent contract with the L.A. Clippers during the 1994 preseason, but didn't make the roster.
International career
He played in the 19941994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
and 1998 FIBA World Basketball Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
. He was also a member of the gold winning Puerto Rican National Basketball Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games
1994 Goodwill Games
The 1994 Goodwill Games was the third edition of the multi-sport event, created by Ted Turner, which was held in Saint Petersburg, Russia between July 23 and August 7, 1994...
held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vega won the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
while also playing in the 1993
1993 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 17th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. The Games were held from November 19 to November 30, 1993 and included 3,570 athletes from 32 nations.-Organization and Planning:...
and 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games
1998 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 18th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Maracaibo, Venezuela from August 8 to August 22, 1998 and included 31 nations and a total of 5,200 competitors.-Medals:-References:...
, the 1995
1995 Tournament of the Americas
The 1995 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Argentina from August 15 to August 27, 1995. The games were played in Tucuman and Neuquen. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the three berths allocated to the...
(where the team won the gold medal) and 1999 FIBA Americas Championship, and in the 1995
1995 Pan American Games
The 12th Pan American Games were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from March 12 to March 26, 1995. After 44 years, this was the Pan American Games first return to the country that hosted the first Games, in 1951.-Overview:...
and 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
. Vega has played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
(CBA), Turkey
Turkish Basketball League
The Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
, Venezuela, Cyprus
Cyprus Basketball Division 1
The Cypriot First Division A of the Men’s Basketball League is currently the top competition on the Cyprus Basketball calendar. It is run and governed by the Cyprus Basketball Federation...
and in Spain's Liga ACB, where he joined Caja Cantabria
Cantabria Baloncesto
Cantabria Baloncesto is a professional basketball team who played during five seasons in Liga ACB. The team was also known as Cantabria Lobos....
during the 1998 season, averaging 18.4 ppg.