José Ortiz, a former NBA player and Puerto Rican national team representative, has died at age 62 following a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

前 NBA 球員兼波多黎各國家隊代表 José Ortiz 在被診斷出患有結直腸癌後，於 62 歲時逝世。

The subject's professional trajectory commenced with academic distinction at Oregon State, where his designation as the 1986-87 Pac-10 Player of the Year facilitated his selection as the 15th overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. Although he played for the Utah Jazz across two seasons, his tenure in the NBA was characterized by limited utilization, totaling 64 appearances. Subsequent to this period, Ortiz transitioned to European leagues, securing tenures with prominent organizations such as Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, as well as clubs in Greece. His domestic career in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional spanned from 1980 to 2006, during which he attained the 2002 MVP award and secured eight national championships.

他的職業生涯始於在俄勒岡州立大學的卓越學業，他被選為 1986-87 年度 Pac-10 年度最佳球員，使其在 1987 年 NBA 選秀中成為第 15 位被選中的球員。雖然他在猶他爵士隊效力了兩個賽季，但在 NBA 期間的出場機會有限，總計僅出場 64 次。此後，Ortiz 轉戰歐洲聯賽，加入了西班牙的皇家馬德里、巴塞隆納等知名球會，以及希臘的球隊。他在波多黎各國家頂級籃球聯賽 (BSN) 的本土生涯從 1980 年持續至 2006 年，期間獲得 2002 年 MVP 獎項及 8 次全國冠軍。

Of particular institutional significance was Ortiz's twenty-one-year tenure with the Puerto Rican national team. His international contributions included participation in four World Championships and four Olympic Games. A notable achievement occurred during the 2004 Athens Olympics, where the Puerto Rican squad secured a victory over the United States, marking the first such defeat for the U.S. since the integration of professional athletes. This sustained excellence culminated in his 2019 induction into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame.

對其職業生涯具有重要意義的是 Ortiz 在波多黎各國家隊效力了 21 年。他的國際貢獻包括參加四次世界錦標賽和四次奧運會。一項顯著的成就在於 2004 年雅典奧運，波多黎各隊擊敗了美國隊，這是美國隊在允許職業運動員參賽後首次遭遇此類敗績。憑藉長期卓越的表現，他於 2019 年入選 FIBA 籃球名人堂。

Post-athletic developments were marked by legal and political instability. In 2011, Ortiz was convicted of drug possession following the discovery of 218 marijuana plants at a rented residence. Despite an initial referral to a rehabilitation facility, a subsequent positive test for cocaine resulted in a six-month custodial sentence. Additionally, the subject pursued a political candidacy that failed to achieve success.

退役後的發展則充滿法律與政治的不穩定。2011 年，因在租賃住所中發現 218 株大麻，Ortiz 被判定持有毒品罪名成立。儘管最初被轉介至康復中心，但隨後可卡因檢測呈陽性，導致其被判處六個月監禁。此外，他曾嘗試競選從政，但未能成功。

José Ortiz died on May 5 at Ashford Hospital in San Juan, following a medical progression of colorectal cancer that began in late 2023.

José Ortiz 在 2023 年底確診結直腸癌，病況隨後惡化，最終於 5 月 5 日在聖胡安的 Ashford 醫院逝世。