Francisco Cruz

{{About|the Mexican basketball player|the Honduran politician|Francisco Cruz Castro|the Spanish footballer|Fran Cruz}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Pako Cruz

| image = Francisco Cruz.JPG

| image_size = 140px

| caption = Cruz, with Mexico, during the 2014 FIBA World Cup

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 217

| position = Shooting guard

| league = Basketbol Süper Ligi

| team = Mersin MSK

| number = 9

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|10|3}}

| birth_place = Nogales, Mexico

| high_school = Abraham Lincoln (Denver, Colorado)

| college = *Western Nebraska CC (2008–2010)

Wyoming (2010–2012)

| draft_year = 2012

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

| years1 = 2012–2015

| team1 = Halcones Rojos

| years2 = 2013

| team2 = Pioneros de Quintana Roo

| years3 = 2014

| team3 = Fuerza Guinda de Nogales

| years4 = 2015

| team4 = Ciclista Olímpico

| years5 = 2015–2016

| team5 = VEF Rīga

| years6 = 2016–2019

| team6 = Fuenlabrada

| years7 = 2019–2020

| team7 = Rytas Vilnius

| years8 = 2020–2021

| team8 = Afyon Belediye

| years9 = 2021–2022

| team9 = Tofaş

| years10 = 2022–2024

| team10 = Manisa Büyükşehir Belediyespor

| years11 = 2024–present

| team11 = Mersin MSK

| highlights = * Turkish Basketball League Scoring Leader (2021)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|MEX}}}}

}}

Francisco "Pako" Javier Cruz Saldívar (born October 3, 1989) is a Mexican professional basketball player for Mersin MSK of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He also represents the senior Mexico national basketball team. He played NCAA Division I college basketball at Wyoming. He is a {{convert|1.91|m|ftin|abbr=on}} tall shooting guard, that can also play as a small forward.

High school

Cruz attended and played basketball at Abraham Lincoln High School, in Denver, Colorado.

College career

After high school, Cruz played college basketball. He first played at Western Nebraska Community College (JUCO), from 2008 to 2010. He then transferred to Wyoming (NCAA Division I), where he played with the Wyoming Cowboys, from 2010 to 2012.

Professional career

Cruz began his pro career with the Mexican League club Halcones Rojos, in 2012. In 2015, he moved the Argentine League club Ciclista Olímpico. He then joined the Latvian club VEF Rīga, with which he played in the VTB United League.

In 2016, he joined the Spanish club Fuenlabrada, of the Liga ACB and European-wide 2nd-tier level EuroCup.[http://www.baloncestofuenlabrada.com/DetalleNoticia/Article/2718/Francisco-Cruz-mas-arsenal-para-el-perimetro-del-Montakit-Fuenlabrada Francisco Cruz, más arsenal para el perímetro del Montakit Fuenlabrada {{in lang|es}}.]

On 3 August 2019, he signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League.{{cite web |title=Vilniaus "Ryte" – snaiperis iš Meksikos — BC "Rytas"|url=https://www.rytasvilnius.lt/lt/naujienos/rytas/n/vilniaus-ryte-snaiperis-is-meksikos-938/ |website=rytasvilnius.lt |language=lt |accessdate=3 August 2019}}

On August 15, 2020, he has signed with Afyon Belediye of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi.{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/afyon-ink-paco-cruz/|title=Afyon ink Paco Cruz|last=|first=|date=August 15, 2020|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 18, 2020}}

On June 25, 2021, he has signed with Tofaş of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tofasspor.com/haber-2228-pako_cruz_tofasta|title=Pako Cruz Tofaş'ta|last=|first=|date=June 25, 2021|website=tofasspor.com|publisher=|language=tr|access-date=June 25, 2021}}

On January 27, 2024, he signed with Mersin MSK of the Türkiye Basketbol Ligi (BSL).{{Cite tweet |user=mersin_msk |number=1806223830144122918 |title=Kulübümüz, Pako Cruz ile anlaşmaya varmıştır.}}

National team career

Cruz is a member of the senior Mexico national basketball team. With Mexico, he played at the 2014 FIBA World Cup,{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2014/player/Pako-Cruz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831073910/http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/Francisco-Javier-CRUZ-SALDIVAR|url-status=live|archive-date=August 31, 2014|title=FIBA profile|publisher=fiba.com|accessdate=30 August 2014}} and at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. He also played at the 2016 Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup, where he won a bronze medal, and was named to the All-Tournament Team.[https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Francisco%20CRUZ/pid/106228/_//players.html Francisco CRUZ (MEX).]

References

External links

[https://twitter.com/pakocruz9 Twitter] {{in lang|es}}
[https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/?pcode=007154 EuroCup Profile]
[https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Francisco%20CRUZ/pid/106228/_//players.html FIBA Archive Profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181126035458/http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=516 Spanish League Profile] {{in lang|es}}
[http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Francisco-Cruz/Spain/Montakit-Fuenlabrada/132261? Eurobasket.com Profile]
[http://www.gowyo.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/cruz_francisco00.html Wyoming College Bio]

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup players

Category:2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup players

Category:Afyon Belediye S.K. players

Category:Baloncesto Fuenlabrada players

Category:Basketball players at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Basketball players from Sonora

Category:BC Rytas players

Category:BK VEF Rīga players

Category:Ciclista Olímpico players

Category:Competitors at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games