From Puerto Rico to Los Angeles, how Butch Lee became the NBA's first Hispanic player and a basketball pioneer

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From Puerto Rico to Los Angeles, how Butch Lee became the NBA's first Hispanic player and a basketball pioneer

Butch Lee still calls it the greatest individual performance of his career. Championships in high school, college, the NBA and Puerto Rico’s top pro league were certainly highlights. But nothing quite compared to the rhythm he found on July 20, 1976.

Just 19 years old, he repeatedly slashed through to the rim taking on a team full of basketball’s best young talent. Future Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley and All-American Phil Ford? Neither could slow Lee on this day in Montreal, when Lee poured in 35 points on 15-of-18 shooting to push the United States to the brink of one of Olympic basketball’s greatest upsets.

“That was a moment [where] everything just fe