26 Facts About Orlando Antigua

Orlando Antigua is widely known as becoming the first Hispanic and the first non-black player for the Harlem Globetrotters in 52 years when he signed in 1995.

Orlando Antigua is the head coach of the Dominican Republic national basketball team.

Orlando Antigua attended St Raymond's High School, where he played basketball.

On Halloween night in 1988, Orlando Antigua became the victim of a drive-by shooting and was shot in the head near his left eye.

Orlando Antigua recovered from the shooting, however the doctors were unable to retrieve the bullet until a later time.

Orlando Antigua was back playing basketball just two months after the incident and gained media attention as the kid who'd taken a bullet to the head in a drive-by in his rough Bronx neighborhood.

Orlando Antigua kept the family together while housing was secured.

Orlando Antigua overcame these difficulties and went on to serve as student council president at his high school and played a major role in the program's New York Catholic League Championship run under head coach Gary DeCesare.

Orlando Antigua caught the attention of various scouts during his high school playing days and was signed with the University of Pittsburgh.

From 1991 to 1995 Orlando Antigua played basketball for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team.

Orlando Antigua was named the recipient of the United States Basketball Writers' Association Most Courageous Award in 1994, an honor presented annually to an individual associated with college basketball who displays exceptional courage both on and off the floor.

Orlando Antigua was able to play basketball in the Puerto Rican and Dominican basketball leagues because of his parents' Puerto Rican and Dominican roots.

Orlando Antigua averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 1991,10.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 1992, and 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 1993.

Orlando Antigua continued to play for Carolina in 1996 and 1997 and averaged a career-high 16.8 points in 1997.

Orlando Antigua ended his professional playing career in 2002 with Mets de Guaynabo.

In 1998, Orlando Antigua played for the Dominican Republic national team, which came close to representing the country in the Olympics and World championships for the first time in the history of its program.

In December 1995, Orlando Antigua graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in social sciences.

Orlando Antigua received offers from various NBA teams to attend their camps and received offers from European scouts, but instead he decided to sign a deal to play for the world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters.

Orlando Antigua made his debut as a Globetrotter in Pittsburgh and was nicknamed "Hurricane" because of his dazzling moves and quickness.

Orlando Antigua did commercials and showed his skills on the Late Show with David Letterman and in Regis and Kathy Lee.

In 2003, Orlando Antigua returned to University of Pittsburgh men's basketball as the director of operations under head coach Jamie Dixon, and on June 7,2006, was named an assistant coach.

In 2008, Orlando Antigua was hired as an assistant coach for the University of Memphis men's basketball program where he joined head coach John Calipari's staff.

Orlando Antigua then followed Calipari to the University of Kentucky to take an assistant job there.

On March 31,2014, Orlando Antigua was named the new head coach of the South Florida Bulls.

Orlando Antigua left Kentucky's staff at the conclusion of the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

Orlando Antigua was the head coach of the Dominican Republic national basketball team from 2013 to 2015.