Rick Apodaca (photo Ciamillo-Castoria)
Someone told me that Rick Apodaca has the most phenomenal jumper he’d ever seen. I think I agree. Seeing day after day the practices of Carife Ferrara in the Italian League and Apodaca taking his jumpers, I can admire the harmony of his movement, the glide in the air just before the release of the ball from the hands.
He’s part of history of Puerto Rican basketball, as part of the National Team in the 2004 Olympics in Athens who finished sixth place, but above all who defeated the United States 92-73 in a glorious game of the Preliminary Round.
After a long road across some world b-ball realities, NCAA, NBDL, USBL, National Superior Basketball, Italian League, Polish League, Turkish League, Rick is back in Italy, right now with Carife Ferrara, a city with a good tradition 20 miles north of Bologna and 60 miles south of Venice. He came in Ferrara as a scorer, to help the team to stay in the Big League.
I met Rick before a practice in the arena . . .
-What about your Summer ball before your pro years?
RICK: I’ve played everywhere in New York, Rucker, West 4th Street, growing up as a kid I’ve won many Tournaments, Soul In The Hole, 99th Street and the 1st Reebok Tournament. My teammates then where young also and didn’t go to far after, but at that time we won a lot of tournaments, I got at least three streetball chips. This was in the late ’90s.
-What’s your favourite court in the NYC area (including NJ)?
RICK: My favorite court and the one I grew up on is Kingdome. That court is near my mom’s projects, 96th Street at Lexington Avenue.
-Is there strong difference of coaching, between America and Europe?
RICK: I would compare european pro coaching to american college. They expect you to work hard twice a day, they expect you to make good decisions and play good and solid basketball. In the american style pro coaching you are expected to know everything and spend less time on the lil things of your game.
-What’s the main difference you felt between streetball and professional basketball?
RICK: The difference between street and pro ball is just one: you get paid playing pro. But I feel the level of competition is higher in the streets. In the street everyone got something to prove. You get the best players out every summer working on there game coming to the park for free but with pride to prove to the other ballers they legit! And always go hard no matter what. They put pride over money that says it all right there. In the pro ball you have to be there and do things the way the coach has it planned for you. You gotta show up everyday cause your getting paid to do so. And you are expected to play good every night, if you don’t, they gonna bring someone in to replace you. In the hood if you don’t play good you gonna hear it in the streets for forever and word is gonna travel.
-How your puertorican roots have influenced your ball skills?
RICK: Puertoricans in general are tough people, straight individuals with strong characters. Puertoricans from New York are tougher just because of the city, and you can find all of this on the ball court, also in myself.
-Could you tell a thing, about your basketball career, that make you a better player, and a thing that make you a better man?
RICK: The thing that make me a better player is my work ethic, I work hard! Always have and always will. This makes me a better man because I appreciate all that I have, because I’ve worked for it. I understand what it is to work your tail off for what you want, and it will come. That helps me in my personal life as a father to instill these traits in my daughter, to work hard and appreciate all the blessing that GOD has given me!
-If you play one on one Bobbito Garcia, d’you think you win?
RICK: Ahahahah!!! Bobbito is my man, but I think I can win….
Waiting for the Bobbito’s answer…..
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
Bobbito…….
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:11 am
MOVEZ says:
yo dont 4get he dunk on my favorite player lebron pr vs usa
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:16 am
Cro-Mags says:
rick rocks
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:21 am
Cro-Mags says:
puerto rico rulez
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
Daniele Vecchi a.k.a. Baby Face says:
Bobbito the challenge is on…. we need a reply from you!
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
yo yo-
i’m here! rick would destroy in a 1-on-1, although i’d get at least one mango tango crossover on him, and at least one 27 footer en su cara! so the score would 11-1 in his favor, but i’d walk off with my head up! haha . . .
i will say this–i’d take him out in 3 point contest, nba range. best out of 10, 3 spots–what’s good, yo?!!! hahahaha
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
APODACA says:
YO BOB I told Danny that you would beat me in the three point contest! Funny he just happened to leave that out. But we gonna shoot it out this summer for DINNER at EL FOGON on 106th between 3rd and LEX. DEAL??
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
corey 187 williams says:
rick “open bar” apodaca gets buckets!!!!!
wats good my dude
December 24th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Steve ( Italy) says:
Grande Rick Rock!!
December 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
ali says:
much love to the hofstra pride. my man jd, who passed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was cool with jay wright while he was an assistant at ‘nova. jd was playing football for the wildcats at the time.
when jay got the hofstra job, jd was banking big dough on wall street and would contribute to the program. i’d go up there with him and saw the program rise from the ashes with my own eyes. would hang out in the coaches offices after games, sipping cold beverages and hanging out with players, recruits and their families.
rick, i enjoyed watching you get busy. speedy claxton, norm richardson, jason hernandez, roberto gittens and the rest of the crew: that was one of the best tickets in town, right on the heels of st john’s falling off after the elite 8 run in ‘99.
and those kids from hofstra were getting their degrees. this brought back some fun memories for me. thanks.
December 24th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
bobbito garcia says:
hahaa! yo, rick, it’s on! how ’bout i challenge you and homicide both to a 3-point contest, and after i win, niels and them pay for the three of us to get the mofongo con camarones al ajillo a La Fonda Boricua en la calle 106st, maduros, tostones, y todo! hahaha! keep doing your thing out there, bro. word up.
December 24th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
APODACA says:
HOMI whats good my bro glad to see you still killing em in Australia. This summer its on im off vaca the fam is set up the house is done and now the tournaments is on. So wherever you playing at you already got your 2 thats my WORD! BOB we all gonna shoot that out and eat regardless and definately gonna pass the bill to Niels! ALI THANKS FOR REMEMBERING THAT PRIDE DOMINATION IN NEW YORK FROM 2000 TILL NOW WE STILL GOT THE MOST WINS OUTTA ANY NYC UNIVERSITY! FEEL ME HOFSTRA PRIDE ALL DAY!
December 28th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Barney says:
I like Rick we’r neighbor, I used to live on 103rd and Lex
December 28th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Stefano says:
Great Daniele! But I prefer Apodaca in organized basketball, rather than streetball…
December 29th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Dr.Dragan says:
Apodaca rocks
December 30th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Rick B says:
Rick, glad to see you always doing your thing man. Keep representing NJ/NYC all day playa. I’m sure you got that W on Bobbito already in the pocket LOL but that mofongo con camarones sounds flava! North Bergen representa !!!
December 31st, 2008 at 8:32 am
eurocall911 says:
Rick is the man
January 6th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Coach Ricciardi 3 says:
Rick worked hard to get where he’s at and deserves everything he gets. Keep representing Hudson County kid. I’m trying to talk dad into a field trip to Italy so you got to leave us some tix if I’m successful. Let me know when you back in town. One. Benny
January 8th, 2009 at 8:48 am
APODACA says:
Ben you better convince DAD to come here he has not seen me play in years and is the reason i am where i am today! Without the great Steve Ricciardi there would be NO Rick Apodaca believe that. Hudson County great cause i was taught by the greatest!
January 12th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
abrazo my friend
January 21st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
sosa says:
Peace to Rick. I went to MHS, their sorta crosstown rivals. Dude was nice.
August 12th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Mike Radzieski says:
Rick… I love reading about how you are representing all over the world. Back at Hofstra, you were a huge influence in my development as a player. Much respect to your game. You gotta hit me up next time you have a game in the city.
August 18th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Brendan Montenegro says:
I seen Rick play plenty of times in HS…he was very good friends with my fiance… I remember a game against Marist HS…at NBHS… our main player…Rasheed Dunbar…did not start and sat the first 7 min of the 1st Qt…. Rick was lighting the team up…score 33-12…Sheed comes in…drops 7 str8 3z…n a dunk… score at the end of the 1st Qt…Marist 35….North Bergen 33… the rest of the game shoulda been a 1 on 1 between the 2 of them…they did all the scoring 4 there teams… I’ve seen some great players from the NY-Metro area play… and Rick was 1 of the Best….
THE LIST
RICK APODACA
LAMAR ODOM
RON ARTEST
OMAR COOK
KENNY SATTERFIELD
JAMES FELTON
RASHEED DUNBAR
JASON WILLIAMS
AL HARRINGTON
BEN GORDON
ANDRE BARRETT
BOBBY HURLEY JR
TERRENCE ROBERTS
ELTON BRAND
I can keep goin…
Rick is a beast!!!
Yo Rick….BLOCK ROYAL!!!
SCREW…FLAV..2TONE…AK… REP IS SON!!!