Orlando Antigua
Big Ten | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 20, 1973 Dominican Republic |
| Playing career | |
| 1989, 1991–1993 | Gigantes de Carolina |
| 1991–1995 | Pittsburgh |
| 1995–2002 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| 1996–1997 | Gigantes de Carolina |
| 2000 | Mets de Guaynabo |
| Position(s) | Dominican Republic |
| 2014–2017 | South Florida |
| 2017–2021 | Illinois (asst.) |
| 2021–2024 | Kentucky (asst.) |
| 2024-Present | Illinois (Associate HC) |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 2003–2006 | Pittsburgh (dir. of ops.) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 23–55 (.295) |
Orlando Radhames Antigua Fernández (born February 20, 1973), nicknamed "Hurricane", is a Dominican-American
Early years
Antigua was born in the
On Halloween night in 1988, Antigua became the victim of a drive-by shooting and was shot in the head near his left eye. He recovered from the shooting, however the doctors were unable to retrieve the bullet until a later time. He was back playing basketball just two months after the incident[3] and gained media attention as the kid who'd taken a bullet to the head in a drive-by in his rough Bronx neighborhood.[1] During this period of his life Antigua's family also went through a period of homelessness. He kept the family together while housing was secured.[3]
He 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. As a senior, he earned All-New York City and Parade All America Second Team honors. Antigua also played on the Gauchos youth basketball team. He caught the attention of various scouts during his high school playing days and was signed with the University of Pittsburgh.[1]
Pittsburgh Panthers
From 1991 to 1995 Antigua played basketball for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball team. Antigua's performance during his freshman (Big East All-Rookie Team) and sophomore years under coach
Basketball in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
Antigua was able to play basketball in the Puerto Rican and Dominican basketball leagues because of his parents' Puerto Rican and Dominican roots. During his college years he would spend summers from 1991 to 1993 playing for the Gigantes de Carolina (Carolina Giants), a team in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).[1] 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.[4][5]
Antigua continued to play for Carolina in 1996 and 1997 and averaged a career-high 16.8 points in 1997. He ended his professional playing career in 2002 with Mets de Guaynabo.[4]
In 1998, 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. The team, however fell short in the qualifications. Among his teammates were fellow BSN player Franklyn Western, of the
Harlem Globetrotters
In December 1995, Antigua graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in social sciences.
During the seven years in which he played with the Globetrotters, he represented the squad in 49 different countries and on tours to South America, South Africa and on the acclaimed "Youth in Our Lives Tour."
Coaching career
From 2002–03, Antigua served as an assistant basketball coach at Mt. Lebanon High School under Joey David and worked as a sales representative for Cavanaugh Promotions in the North Hills. In 2003, 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.[3]
In 2008, 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.[6] He then followed Calipari to the University of Kentucky to take an assistant job there.[7]
On March 31, 2014, Antigua was named the new head coach of the
On April 5, 2017, Antigua was added to Brad Underwood's staff at Illinois.[11] On May 6, 2021, Kentucky announced that Antigua and fellow Illinois assistant coach Ronald “Chin” Coleman were joining the Kentucky coaching staff. After Calipari left Kentucky in 2024, Antigua returned to Illinois as associate head coach.[12]
Awards and recognitions
Among the many awards and recognitions which Antigua has received are the following:[3]
- 1991–95 Named the United States Basketball Writers' Association Most Courageous Athlete award recipient
- Named to Big East All-Rookie Team after the 1991–92 season; started in 78 games, averaged 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 116 career games from 1991–95; concluded career as one of Pittsburgh's best all-time three-point shooters (.386- 117–303).
- Named one of the nation's top-100 most influential Hispanic Americans by Hispanic Business magazine.
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Florida Bulls (American Athletic Conference) (2014–2017) | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | South Florida | 9–23 | 3–15 | 11th | |||||
| 2015–16 | South Florida | 8–25 | 4–14 | T–9th | |||||
| 2016–17 | South Florida | 6–7 | 0–2 | (fired) | |||||
| South Florida: | 23–55 (.295) | 7–30 (.189) | |||||||
| Total: | 23–55 (.295) | ||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Paese, Gabrielle (2007). "Antigua Breaks Ground For Latinos In NCAA Basketball". Puerto Rico Herald. 7 (30). Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Sports People: Basketball — A Non-Black Player Joins Globetrotters". New York Times. December 28, 1995. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Orlando Antigua Profile". University of Pittsburgh. 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
- ^ a b "Orlando Antigua Fernandez". WorldHoopStats.com. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
- ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (December 5, 2006). "Pitt assistant Orlando Antigua knows pain of Duquesne gunshot victim". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ "Orlando Antigua Named Tiger Basketball Assistant Coach". Memphis Tigers Men's Basketball. June 10, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ "Antigua, Robic, Strickland Named Basketball Assistants". University of Kentucky. May 19, 2009. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
- ^ "Orlando Antigua". University of South Florida. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
- ^ Jeff Goodman [@GoodmanESPN] (January 3, 2017). "South Florida has fired Orlando Antigua. Hasn't had success on the court, and there was academic investigation ongoing" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Head Coaching Change". 3 January 2017.
- ^ "Underwood Announces Staff Additions". 5 April 2017.
- ^ "Orlando Antigua to Illinois". 21 April 2024.