Daniel Santiago

Personal information
Born	(1976-06-24) June 24, 1976 (age 47) Lubbock, Texas
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	New Mexico Military Institute (1994–1995) New Mexico (1995–1997) Saint Vincent (1997–1998)
NBA draft	1998: undrafted
Playing career	1996–2015
Position	Center
Career history
1996–1998	Vaqueros de Bayamón
1998–2000	Pallacanestro Varese
2000–2001	Phoenix Suns
2001	Vaqueros de Bayamón
2001–2002	Phoenix Suns
2002	Vaqueros de Bayamón
2002–2003	Lottomatica Roma
2003–2005	Milwaukee Bucks
2005–2008	Unicaja Málaga
2008–2009	Barcelona
2009	Vaqueros de Bayamón
2009–2010	Efes Pilsen
2010	Capitanes de Arecibo
2010	Spirou Charleroi
2011–2012	Capitanes de Arecibo
2012–2013	Boca Juniors
2013	Mets de Guaynabo
2014–2015	Cangrejeros de Santurce
Career highlights and awards
2× Spanish League champion (2006, 2009) Italian League champion (1999) Italian Supercup winner (1999) 4× BSN champion (1996, 2009–2011) NAIA Player of the Year (1998)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Puerto Rico Pan American Games 2011 Mexico FIBA AmeriCup 2009 San Juan 2013 Venezuela

Daniel Gregg Santiago (born June 24, 1976) is a Puerto Rican basketball coach in the IMG Academy and former professional basketball player.^[1] A center, he had a collegiate career in the NCAA and NAIA. His professional career saw him play in the NBA, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional of Puerto Rico, and overseas. Santiago has played for the Puerto Rican national team since 1998 until 2014, including been part of the 2004 team that defeated the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.^[2]

College career

Santiago attended and played Junior College basketball at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico and played NCAA Division I basketball at the University of New Mexico. He finished up his collegiate career at the NAIA school of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he was named NAIA player of the year. In 2019 Daniel Santiago obtained a college degree in General Studies with concentrations in Social Work, Sociology and History from the University of South Florida.^[3]

Professional career

In Puerto Rico, Santiago played professionally on the National Superior Basketball League with the Vaqueros, helping the team to various national championships and tournament finals.

Between 1998 and 2000, he played for Varese Roosters of the Italian Serie A.

From 2000 to 2001 he played for the NBA's Phoenix Suns as a back-up center until being released. He returned to the NBA in 2003, playing two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.

In 2005, Santiago signed for a season with Spanish ACB League's Unicaja Málaga. After winning the 2006 league, he signed a further two-year deal with the Andalusia outfit. In 2008, Santiago signed with Regal FC Barcelona, helping the side to a third finish in the 2008–09 Euroleague.

In July 2009, Santiago came back to the BSN after a 7-year absence, joining the Bayamón Cowboys. In September 2009 he signed with Efes Pilsen S.K. of Turkey.^[4] In October 2010 he signed with Spirou Charleroi.^[5] In January 2011 he joined Capitanes de Arecibo.^[6]

In September 2012, Santiago signed with Boca Juniors in Argentina.^[7] In March 2013, he was selected as the league's best center for the season.^[8] In May 2013, he joined the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico.^[9]

National team career

In 2002, Santiago represented senior the Puerto Rican national team at the Indianapolis 2002 FIBA World Cup, and he also played inm the 2004 Summer Olympics team that handed the United States their first defeat in Olympic play, since they began using NBA players. Santiago again represented Puerto Rico at the 2006 World Cup. He retired from the national side in 2007, only to return the following year.

Personal

Santiago's paternal grandfather, Pedro Santiago Rodríguez, was a well known baseball player in Puerto Rico and emigrated to the United States to play. Due to his small stature he was nicknamed "Jockey", while grandson Daniel received the "El Gigante" (the giant) moniker. Puerto Rico's Jockey Rodríguez retired from baseball with the Albuquerque Dukes team under the name Pedro Santiago.

Santiago was raised in the West Texas area of Lamesa on a cotton farm and later in Albuquerque, New Mexico where his parents, Stan and Diana Santiago, originated. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Jarrett Santiago.

Career stats

Santiago's NBA stats in 122 games were: 417 points (3.4 per game), 260 rebounds (2.1 per game), 38 assists (0.3 per game), 39 steals (0.3 per game) and 47 blocks (0.4 per game). He shot a .469 field goal percentage, and a .685 free throw percentage.

Domestic leagues