Daniel Gregg Santiago is an American-born Puerto Rican professional basketball player for the Cangrejeros de Santurce.
Education
Santiago attended and played Junior College basketball at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico and played National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball at the University of New Mexico. He finished up his collegiate career at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he was named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics player of the year.
Career
A center, he had a collegiate career in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. His professional career saw him play in the National Basketball Association, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional of Puerto Rico and overseas. Santiago has played for the Puerto Rican national team since 1998. 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 National Basketball Association"s Phoenix Suns as a back-up center until being released.
He returned to the National Basketball Association in 2003, playng two seasons with the Milwaukee Buckinghamshire. 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 Football Club Barcelona, helping the side to a third finish in the 2008-2009 Euroleague.
In July 2009, Santiago came back to the Bachelor of science in nursing after a 7-year absence, joining the Bayamón Cowboys.
In September 2009 he signed with Efes Pilsen South.K. of Turkey. In October 2010 he signed with Spirou Charleroi. In January 2011 he joined Capitanes de Arecibo.
In September 2012, Santiago signed with Boca Juniors in Argentina.
In March 2013, he was selected as the league"s best center for the season. In May 2013, he joined the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico.
In 2002, Santiago represented Puerto Rican national team at the Indianapolis 2002 International Basketball Federation World Championship, and also played in the 2004 Olympic team that handed the United States their first defeat in Olympic play since they began using professional players. Santiago again represented Puerto Rico in the 2006 World Championship, retiring from the national side in 2007, only to return the following year.
Santiago"s paternal grandfather, Pedro 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. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Jarrett Santiago.