Miami (May 24, 2005) – The National Basketball Association (NBA) returns to Puerto Rico on October 14 with a marquee match-up between the Miami HEAT and the Memphis Grizzlies in San Juan, it was announced today by the NBA. Both teams are expected to travel with their full preseason rosters, bringing to the island stars such as Miami Heat All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade and Latin superstar Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies. The on-sale date for the event scheduled for the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Mario Agrelot will be announced at a later date.


Miami Heat Dwyane Wade and Memphis Grizzlies Pau Gasol will see you at San Juan, PR on October 14. Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images

“The 2005 Puerto Rico game is another example of the league’s commitment to reaching fans around the world and serving the Latin America market,” said Arturo Nuñez, Vice President and Managing Director of the NBA Latin America and U.S. Hispanic. “We will continue reaching out to fans, while increasing awareness and participation in the sport of basketball in Puerto Rico and throughout Latin America.”

NBA Puerto Rico 2005 will be the 22nd game organized by the NBA in Latin America since 1992, and the fifth preseason game staged in Puerto Rico. The NBA’s last game in Puerto Rico was played on October 7, 2003, when the HEAT defeated the 76ers 86-79 in overtime at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. Previous games on the island have featured the HEAT vs. Denver in 1993 and a two-game series between the HEAT and Atlanta in 1994. The game also marks the eighth time the Heat will play internationally and the sixth time the team will be featured in Latin America.

The Miami HEAT had a ground-breaking 2004-05 season with a 59 - 23 record during the regular season. Miami swept playoff series against the New Jersey Nets and Washington Wizards, respectively, and are now in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

“It is an honor to serve as a global ‘ambassador’ for the NBA and the HEAT while playing abroad,” said Randy Pfund, General Manager of the Miami HEAT. “We are committed to representing the NBA in a very positive way while providing local fans in Puerto Rico with first-class sports entertainment.”

The Puerto Rico 2005 game will be co-produced by San Juan-based Empresas Angelo Medina (EAM), one of Latin America’s top promoters of special events and concerts, including the Miss Universe Pageant. The company owns the perennial Basketball League Cangrejeros de Santurce and operates Deportes 13, which broadcasts NBA and WNBA games across Puerto Rico on channel 13.

“We are pleased to work together with the league to bring NBA basketball to Puerto Rico, where the sport has always enjoyed great success and popularity,” said Angelo Medina, President of EAM. “ Hundreds of thousands of fans in Puerto Rico follow the NBA on a daily basis and this game provides them with the opportunity to watch two great teams perform live in Puerto Rico, while experiencing the excitement of the NBA first-hand. ”

Summary of Games Played in Latin America:

Event Date Result Notes
NBA PUERTO RICO 2003 10/7/03 Miami HEAT 86 – Philadelphia 76ers 79 (OT) Preseason
NBA MEXICO 2003 10/5/03 Utah Jazz 90 – Dallas Mavricks 95 Preseason
NBA Dominican Republic 2002 10/11/02 Minnesota Timberwolves 90 – Miami HEAT 85 Preseason
NBA MÉXICO 2000 10/14/00 Philadelphia 76ers 84 – Washington Wizards 80 Preseason
NBA MÉXICO 1999 10/24/99 Golden State Warriors 117 - New Jersey Nets 91 Preseason
NBA MÉXICO 1997 12/6/97 Houston Rockets 108 – Dallas Mavericks 106 Regular season
NBA CHALLENGE 1996 (Mex.) 10/26/96 Cleveland Cavaliers 104 - Phoenix Suns 92 Preseason Tournament
    Dallas Mavericks 107 – Utah Jazz 102  
  10/27/96 Utah Jazz 111 – Phoenix Suns 105  
    Dallas Mavericks 88 – Cleveland Cavaliers 86 (final)
NBA CHALLENGE 1995 (Mex.) 10/28/95 San Antonio Spurs 125 – Washington Wizards 107
Pre-Season
  10/29/95 Detroit Pistons110 – Washington Wizards 99  
NBA CHALLENGE 1994 (Mex.) 10/28/94 San Antonio Spurs 121 – Houston Rockets 112 Pre-Season Tournament
    Seattle SuperSonics 133 – L.A. Clippers 105  
  10/29/94 Houston Rockets 111 – L.A. Clippers 103  
    Seattle SuperSonics 124 - San Antonio Spurs 95 (final)
NBA Puerto Rico 1994 10/23/94 Atlanta Hawks 104 – Miami HEAT 99 Pre-Season
NBA Puerto Rico 1994 10/21/94 Miami HEAT 104 – Atlanta Hawks 99 Pre-Season
NBA Puerto Rico 1993 10/30/93 Miami HEAT 109 – Denver Nuggets 102 Pre-Season
NBA MÉXICO 1993 10/24/93 New York Knicks 103 – Houston Rockets 93 Pre-Season
NBA MÉXICO 1992 10/27/92 Dallas Mavericks 104 – Houston Rockets 102 Pre-Season

Summary of Miami HEAT Games Played Abroad:

Date Result Location
Oct. 20, 1991 HEAT 109, Washington 98 Crystal Palace Resort; Nassau, Bahamas
Oct. 30, 1993 HEAT 109, Denver 102 Roberto Clemente Coliseum; San Juan, PR
Oct. 21, 1994 HEAT 104, Atlanta 99 Roberto Clemente Coliseum; San Juan, PR
Oct. 23, 1994 Atlanta 104, HEAT 99 Roberto Clemente Coliseum; San Juan, PR
Oct. 11, 1999 HEAT 126, Maccabi Tel-Aviv 91 The Yad Eliyahu Sports Palace; Tel Aviv, Israel
Oct. 11, 2002 Minnesota 90, HEAT 85 Palacio de los Deportes; Santo Domingo, DR
October 7, 2003 HEAT 86, 76ers 79 (OT) Roberto Clemente Coliseum; San Juan, PR