John Arigo
John Hartley Ward Arigo (born December 10, 1978), in Charleston, South Carolina, is a Filipino-American retired professional basketball player having played for three teams in the Philippine Basketball Association over a nine-year career.[1][2] He was drafted 5th overall by the Alaska Aces in January 2001 during his senior year of playing NCAA Division II basketball for the University of North Florida.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 10, 1978 Charleston, South Carolina |
| Nationality | Filipino / American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Orange Park (Orange Park, Florida) |
| College |
|
| PBA draft | 2001 Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Alaska Aces | |
| Playing career | 2001–2009 |
| Position | Shooting guard / Small forward |
| Number | 31 |
| Career history | |
| 2001–2004 | Alaska Aces |
| 2004–2009 | Coca-Cola Tigers |
| 2009 | Barako Bull Energy Boosters |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Prior to his stint with the UNF Ospreys in 2000, he played three collegiate years for the University of Tampa Spartans from 1997–2000, where he earned "Player of the Year" honors in 1999.
His professional basketball career began with the Alaska Aces from 2001–2004, and in 2003 he won his only PBA championship. He was then traded to the Coca-Cola Tigers and emerged as the team captain and leading scorer for almost five seasons from 2004 to February 2009. However, during his tenure with the Tigers, he had a couple of sidelined seasons due to injuries, management and coaching changes. Lastly, he was dealt to the Barako Bull Energy Boosters (formerly Red Bull) during the start of the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference which after contract disputes, finally ended in retirement in August 2009 after just one season with the struggling franchise.
During the span of his professional career he was a four-time PBA All-Star, selected for the PBA's "Mythical Team" in 2003 (First team all-league), and was chosen to represent the country's National Team "Pilipinas" in Taipei, Taiwan for 2006 FIBA competition. He was a career long Nike endorser and lead spokesperson for the brand through contracts with Nike Philippines, and upon retirement was invited to the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon for his official endorser's visit.
Upon return to his hometown, he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of North Florida, and graduated with honors in 2012. He is an active member of Phi Kappa Phi's National Honor Society.
He currently resides at his home in Jacksonville, Florida, and has returned to his alma mater, the University of North Florida, where he is a graduate assistant for Men's basketball, while staying involved in his community's High School basketball initiatives.
References
- Player Profile at PBA-Online!
- "John Arigo shoots for the pros". Kathy Moran, The Philippine Star. June 13, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2015.