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  InterBasket > Player Profiles > Eddie Casiano, Puerto RicoEddie Casiano Ibn Notes:  Playing with NBA player Carlos Arroyo, legendary Jose Ortiz and sharpshooter Larry Ayuso, sometimes it was difficult to recognize Eddie Casiano's contributions to the team.  Casiano was a fiery left-handed player that could drop a smooth three or attack the basket with tenacity.  All in all, Casiano would represent Puerto Rico in four Olympics. 

I first saw Casiano in 1992 when he played against the USA dream team that featured Magic, Bird Jordan, Barkley etc.  A young 19-year old Casiano walked onto the court and made his presence felt immediately by hitting straight-away threes, taking Michael Jordan to the hold, and going to the basket without fear or awe of Patrick Ewing, David obinson or Karl Malone.

In 1998, Casiano keyed a huge comeback in the Goodwill Games that year.  Playing in Madison Square Garden, Casiano was unstoppable as he scored 31 points (10-16) in leading Puerto Rico back from a second-half deficit of 19 points.

In the 2003 Tournament of the Americas, Casiano led the Puerto Rican National Team in scoring (12.2) and hit 29-30 from the free-throw line.

Then in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Casiano hit 4-4 from three and scored 18 points in the shocking win 93-73 demolition of the USA squad.
Eddie Casaino Profile

Name: Eddie Casiano
Postion: Shooting Guard
Nickname: N/A
Born: September 20, 1972
Status: Retired
Origin: Manhattan, New York
Height: 6'3
Weight: 200lbs
Schools: N/A
Drafted: Undrafted
Languages: English, Spanish
Website: InterBasket
Teams (jersey): Puerto Rican National Team (14,5), San German Atleticos (5), Ponce Leones (11,5)

Ibn Notes: Born in Manhattan, New York, at a short age Casiano and his family moved to their homeland, Puerto Rico. Raised and developed into a basketball player, Casiano debut in the BSN at the age of 15. His age was maybe the one to blame for his biggest mistake of his life, signing pro and skipping college. Regarded as one of the best Shooters in the Puertorrican basketball history, this lefty sharpshooter started making noise in the BSN at the age of 18, averaging 19.7 points per game, earning a spot on the National Team for the 1991 Tournament of the Americas in Portland, Oregon, and the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Being the new leader of the National Team, with Jose "Piculin" Ortiz, Eddie Casiano slowly evolved a fiery, sometimes problematic attitude, in the court and out of the court, that went from powers struggles with Jose Ortiz, to the Mar del Plata, Argentina inccident, where he leaded a group of players from the National Team to a "stoppage", asking for a salary because of his services to the National Team, leading the Team to a last place finish and a suspension of 2 years from the National Team. Casiano keep his BSN career alive, scoring at will against anybody on the league, winning championships, MVP honors and performing in the clutch like no one else did on Puerto Rico. He returned to the National Team for the World Basketball Championship in 1998 and the Tournament of the Americas in 1999, then he decided to retire fron any National Team activity with Jerome Mincy, James Carter and Jose Ortiz. He later returned to the National Team, after the claims of the General Manager of the National Team to build the best team. Performing well in Centrobasket and in the Tornament of the Americas, where he, once again, showed his ability to make plays in the clutch, specially against Brazil, Casiano earned a spot to play in Athens for the 2004 Olympic Games. Always controversial, surrounded by rumors of being a drug addict, something that have been proved wrong with drug tests, and a fiery player on the court, not backing down from no one, Casiano is a superstar in Puerto Rico and will pass as a legend in Puertorrican basketball history.

* The above information was provided by K-2 Young of InterBasket  

Ibn Facts:

Eddie Casiano Links  From our forum: Puerto Rico Basketball Forum, Eddie Casiano Close to Retirement  Articles and other resources: Taken to School (CNNSI, 1998)