Fabio Lopez / Staff Writer
For virtually every FIU athlete, it’s a dream to play in the big leagues. Whether it’s football, basketball, or soccer, reaching the top level in sports is one of the most difficult and near-impossible goals for any athlete to achieve.
With the odds stacked firmly against anybody who aspires to achieve these dreams, it’s always a moment of pride when an FIU alumni does manage to reach it.
Former NBA star Carlos Arroyo proved to be one of those exceptional cases. Coming to FIU from his hometown in Puerto Rico to playing in the National Basketball Association, then making music with the industry’s top stars post-retirement, Arroyo has proven to be a truly inspirational success story.
In an interview with PantherNOW, Arroyo delved into the trials and tribulations of playing professional basketball, and what his ambitions are post-retirement.
Born and raised in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Arroyo fell in love with basketball ever since he was a kid.
“Ever since I was a baby I loved basketball,” says Arroyo. “My brother took a little bit longer, he was more into video games and all that stuff, but I fell in love with the game since I was a kid.”
Growing up watching the NBA on television, he was inspired by the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and the Detroit Pistons of the late 80s to early 90s.
“Michael Jordan was my hero. I used to watch his games when I was a kid just to get inspired and motivated… I was a kid watching the ‘Bad Boys Pistons’ and Magic Johnson. I learned a lot from those guys and just the way they carry themselves as players. “
He transferred to Brookwood School in Georgia, where he got the opportunity to show his talent on the court.
During his time in Brookwood, Arroyo averaged 30 points and 10 assists per game, putting universities on high alert.
By the time he graduated high school, he had a wide range of schools to choose from, and opted to join FIU in 1998, citing the location, culture, and diversity as the primary factors.
“There were some schools recruiting me but I felt FIU was the right fit for me at the time. It was a two hour flight from Puerto Rico so I was close to my family. Miami’s a city that spoke the same language that I spoke [and] the diversity in culture. It really had my attention.”
Despite believing that this decision was the best for him and his career, he did not hide the difficulty of leaving his family in Puerto Rico behind.
“Leaving my family behind, it was the hardest part, but I knew I was making a decision that was going to pay off in the future… I knew that staying back home I wasn’t going to have that opportunity to play in the NBA, so I took it and went with it and thank God it worked out.“
Arroyo went on to absolutely dominate college basketball, setting yet-to-be beaten records within FIU He currently holds the record for most field goals and field goal attempts, points scored, points per game, minutes played per game, and steals per game.
He scored over 600 points in a single season, averaging 16 points per game and 4.6 assists over his 100 games played.
His stellar statistics helped him get his first opportunity in the NBA. He joined the Toronto Raptors in 2001, but struggled for gametime and promptly left for a brief sint in the Spanish ACB League, where he featured for TAU Cerámica before returning to the U.S. with the Utah Jazz in 2002.
Arroyo’s first two years in the NBA was a difficult period for him as he was trying to adjust to the pressure that comes with playing in front of thousands of people compared to the much smaller venues of college basketball.
“It was tough to play in the NBA compared to school- to go from that to playing in front of 25,000 people, that was tough,” said Arroyo. “It was at times intimidating, but it was a dream of mine to be there. You dream about it your whole life then you find yourself at the arena in the middle of the court.”
From watching his idols from afar in FIU to actually playing with and against them was something that Arroyo had to quickly adjust to. He had to try to not get star-struck while still enjoying the moment.
“In my first two years, at times I was guarding Jordan on switches, and I was like “what?!” In my first year I played with Vince Carter when he was in Toronto. It was surreal, it was overwhelming but I always pictured myself there so I was trying to embrace the moment and at the same time just act like I wasn’t a fan.”
In the next four years, Arroyo played for the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, making it to the 2005 NBA Finals with the Pistons and getting sporadic game time with Orlando.
Arroyo was not fazed by the difficulties that came with playing professionally once he graduated. He understood that he just needed to put his head down, continue working hard, and let his performances speak for themselves.
“I knew it was going to be a little bit uphill for me but my dream was to just get an opportunity, to get a chance and it was up to me then to put my skills and my experience to work and thank God it worked.”
In 2008, at the age of 30, Arroyo made the decision to play abroad with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. Now an NBA veteran, he was offered a three-year contract to play in the Middle East.
He took up the offer as he preferred it over the one-year deals that NBA teams were willing to offer at the time.
“I had an offer from the Phoenix Suns, but it was a veteran minimum or something like that. It was just for one year but I was looking for a two or three year deal. Then this team from Israel called my agent and said “look, we’re offering Carlos’s [contract].”
“I was in the Bahamas at the time and I had to take the offer, it was either the NBA and stay here for one year and see what happens next or take this three-year deal that was a really good contract for me at the time.”
Living abroad ensured that Arroyo had to overcome the language barrier as well as once again having to leave friends and family behind in pursuit of his sporting ambitions.
“I would go to the supermarket during my first two or three weeks in Israel, and I had no idea because I couldn’t read Hebrew… But I embraced it, I left behind a lot of good friends and family that I still stay in contact with”
“That was a transition for me, it was a culture shock. But basketball has always been my escape. As long as I was playing and having fun, everything was secondary. I just embraced it.”
He only spent a season at Israel however, as he once again returned to the NBA when he signed for Miami Heat in 2009 and then the Boston Celtics in 2011.
Arroyo then spent the remainder of his career playing abroad with Beşiktaş Milangaz and Galatasaray in Turkey, Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico, and FC Barcelona Lassa in Spain.
He is grateful to have been given opportunities to play abroad as he was able to make connections and meet people from all over the globe.
“Those opportunities of me playing in those countries really open the door for me till this day, that I can just call and say ‘look, I’m starting to coach’ or ‘I’m starting an agency of players’ and just connect with the networking and relationships [I] have built has just opened the doors.”
Despite all of this success, Arroyo’s personal greatest accomplishment was playing and representing his country for 15 years.
“It was just a dream come true for me and I was blessed to play for 15 years and be the captain for 15 years of the team. The Puerto Rican National Team just opened the doors worldwide for me. I feel like I am an ambassador of that team everywhere I go, I’m very proud to have been a part of that.”
He had great pride in being from Puerto Rico and has made sure to always represent them wherever he goes.
“If you were born and raised in Puerto Rico and you play abroad you know how much representing those colors mean and the meaning behind representing Puerto Rico and that team is just a sense of pride that comes with the name “La Selección de Puerto Rico.”
Arroyo’s biggest accomplishment representing his country was when they beat the USA in the 2004 Olympics, a date that is still celebrated by the country to this date.
“I’m very fortunate to have been a part of that game with a group of guys that really made history. To this day I was telling the guys they celebrate August 13th in Puerto Rico like it’s a freaking birthday!”
Arroyo retired in 2019 and has now transitioned his focus into making reggaeton music. He has released singles with stars such as Nicky Jam, Luis Fonsi, and Jowell & Randy. It’s an endeavor that now has over 409,000 listeners on Spotify and one that keeps Arroyo busy and motivated post-retirement.
“It’s been fun, I enjoy doing it and it’s something that distracts me from other things that I’m doing. I like to stay busy, I always said that when I retire I’m not going to be on the couch just watching TV and getting fat. So it pushes me to do other things.”
He is also continuing to assist and be a part of basketball both in the US and in Puerto Rico.
“I’m close to the game as well with doing academies and camps and clinics; tournaments that I do, leagues that I run. In Puerto Rico, working with the national team being the general manager for my national team, that’s a lot of work as well. Just stay busy.”
From immigrating from Puerto Rico, to etching his name in FIU’s history books, to playing in NBA and around the world, to making reggaeton music and continuing his involvement in basketball; people tend to consider Carlos Arroyo as a shining example of what students here at FIU can one day seek to achieve.
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