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218:, where he also received his primary and secondary education. When he was 14 years old, he would go home after school and with his basketball under his arm make take a 2-mile jog through the sugar cane fields every day to the nearest basketball court and practice the sport with the local kids. Running was in his blood since father used to run marathons, and his grandfather is a track and field expert.
332:
In 2008, Meléndez became the first Puerto Rico-born basketball player ever to play for the Harlem
Globetrotters. He was not however, the first Hispanic of Puerto Rican descent to play for the Globetrotters. That distinction belongs to Orlando Antigua, whose mother is Puerto Rican and who in 1995 made
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guard, coached professionally in Puerto Rico. He also coached the
Washington Generals the perennial Globetrotters punching bag. Worthen, impressed with Meléndez's ability to play and entertain suggested Meléndez try out for the Globetrotters after the two had bumped into each other outside the
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He always grabbed a snack to eat during his trek and would drop crumbs along the way. As a result, whenever he arrived at the court he would be accompanied by an entourage of cats, thus his nickname "El Gato" (the cat). Melendez tried out for his Juana Díaz high school basketball team and was
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Meléndez whose position is that of "power forward", injured his knee during training camp. He had surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus. Meléndez was well enough for the start of the
December 26 domestic season.
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246:, where he appeared in the Final Fours in 1998 and 2000. From 1998 to 2007, Melendez played for UNC and professionally in Europe and Puerto Rico. He played for:
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Team Merry Monk
Ballina (IRL-SuperLeague): 8 games, 2007; *Maratonistas de Coamo (BSN, starting five), in May moved to
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AS Soleuvre (LUX-DBBL): 11 games; in Dec.'06 try-out at Eiffel Towers Den Bosch (NED-Eredivisie), in Feb.'07 moved to
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Globetrotters history by becoming the first
Hispanic and non-black to play for the team.
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Tournament of the
Americas (Copa América) in Neuquin (ARG) –2001 (Semifinals)
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player. He is the first Puerto Rico-born basketball player to play for the
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accepted. Through an exchange student program, he was able to play at
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367:"Gatorade" Dunking contest in the Puerto Rican All Star Game -2002
242:. There he began his college basketball career by playing for the
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1999–2000; *Polluelos de
Aibonito (Puerto Rico-BSN) 2001–2002;
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Puerto Rican expatriate basketball people in the
Netherlands
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Central
American Championships (Centrobasket) Champion -2001
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Among Meléndez's awards and achievements are the following:
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Toritos de Cayey (Puerto Rico-BSN), in May was traded to
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Puerto Rican expatriate basketball people in
Luxembourg
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New York Times - A Non-Black Player Joins Globetrotters
268:(Puerto Rico-BSN): 16 games; Atleticos de San German (
194:(The Cat) (born 14 February 1979), is a Puerto Rican
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Puerto Rican expatriate basketball people in Ireland
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238:In 1997, Meléndez was awarded a scholarship to the
376:Irish Superleague North Conference Runner-Up -2007
543:North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players
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284:Guayanilla (SuperLeague 25, starting five) 2005;
299:Cangrejeros de Santurce (BSN): 13 games, 2008;
329:apartment building in which they both lived.
281:Indios de Mayagüez (BSN): 20 games 2004–2005;
470:Melendez adds a new country to Globetrotters
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573:Cangrejeros de Santurce basketball players
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287:Gallitos de Isabela (BSN): 31 games 2006;
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358:Puerto Rican PRSBL All Star Game -2001
272:(BSN), starting five) 2003–2004, 2006;
548:Puerto Rican men's basketball players
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278:(SuperLeague 25, starting five) 2004;
230:, where he finished his senior year.
553:Sportspeople from Ponce, Puerto Rico
528:Baloncesto Superior Nacional players
355:Puerto Rico National Team -2001-2002
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563:Leones de Ponce basketball players
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290:Luxbasket camp in Wiltz 2006–2007:
253:(NCAA) 1998–1999, 2000–2001, 2002;
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370:Puerto Rican BSN Semifinals -2003
210:Meléndez was born in the city of
87:6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
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373:Irish Superleague Finalist -2007
214:, but was raised in the town of
523:Atléticos de San Germán players
429:"Carolina Basketball 2000–2001"
379:Puerto Rican BSN Champion -2007
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303:(BSN): Liga Americas: 6 games.
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27:Puerto Rican basketball player
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1:
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538:Harlem Globetrotters players
352:ACC Champion Runner-Up -2001
276:Grises Orientales de Humacao
270:Baloncesto Superior Nacional
240:University of North Carolina
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533:Caciques de Humacao players
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266:Los Atleticos de San German
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244:North Carolina Tar Heels
234:North Carolina Tar Heels
188:Orlando Meléndez Gilbert
341:Awards and achievements
301:Cangrejeros de Santurce
228:Marion, North Carolina
113:Marion, North Carolina
406:List of Puerto Ricans
349:NCAA Final Four -2000
459:Harlem Globetrotters
308:Harlem Globetrotters
224:McDowell High School
200:Harlem Globetrotters
176:Harlem Globetrotters
105:(Ponce, Puerto Rico)
49:Personal information
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431:. 2000. p. 37
398:Puerto Rico portal
212:Ponce, Puerto Rico
92:Career information
70:Ponce, Puerto Rico
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16:(Redirected from
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322:New Orleans Jazz
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64:14 February 1979
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33:Orlando Meléndez
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18:Orlando Melendez
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103:Colegio Ponceño
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583:Power forwards
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251:North Carolina
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167:Career history
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318:Chicago Bulls
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153:Power forward
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79:Puerto Rican
29:
513:1979 births
484:U.S. Basket
314:Sam Worthen
206:Early years
128:(1997–2002)
97:High school
76:Nationality
507:Categories
412:References
216:Juana Díaz
196:basketball
60:1979-02-14
312:In 2007,
192:"El Gato"
190:, a.k.a.
143:undrafted
134:NBA draft
35:"El Gato"
435:25 March
384:See also
327:San Juan
149:Position
109:McDowell
122:College
159:Number
437:2020
320:and
172:2008
139:2002
54:Born
226:in
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476:^
445:^
420:^
202:.
162:39
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111:(
58:(
20:)
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