Spider Ledesma
Encyclopedia
William Stephan Spider Ledesma II (born April 6, 1964) is an American professional basketball player and the current CEO
of the Native American National Team and Buyorsellnetwork.com.
, Ledesma is of Native American
and Native Mexican
descent from his late father's family and Irish American
descent from his mother's family. His Indian name, Spider, was given to him as a young boy by his uncle Jess 'Joe Butch' Ledesma and confirmed upon him by his elder Clinton Pilcher, a member of the Oglala (Lakota) Sioux tribe
.
.
Ledesma's Native American athletic career started at the age of 14 at an Indian tournament at San Jose City College
in 1978. At 16 he played in his first Canadian Indian tournament, at an Indian reservation near Calgary, AB
. His importance increased as a native basketball player, as he continued to grow in height. He ultimately became a five-time National Indian Athletic Association (NIAA) national champion and three-time MVP. His first national championship was in 1991 on the Bemidji (Chippewa) reservation in Bemidji, MN where he led the Santa Clara Itashans to a resounding defeat of the North Dakota Warriors. His team also defeated an Indian squad led by Ernie Stevens Jr., current chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). Ledesma played for several years at tournaments in the Northwest on Indian reservations of the Chiloquin (Klamath)
, Hoopa (Hupa)
, Warm Springs
, and Yakima
.
He was a member of FIBA
Club Achilleas
in Cyprus. In the 1992/93 season, he was the 6th leading scorer in Div. I FIBA, at 31.5 ppg. He led Achilleas to a 10–0 preseason and then league-best season record of 17–1, and through the playoffs as they defeated Club Apoel and John Flowers of UNLV four games to one in the finals. The team went 12–1 in the post season for a total record of 39–2. Ledesma was named League MVP, Finals MVP, and declared the 'greatest foreigner to ever play in Cyprus' as voted on by the Cypriot sports media. In the 1995/96 season, his last year in FIBA and Cyprus, he led the world in Div. I scoring averaging 35.8 ppg, including scoring 40 points or more in five straight league contests.
He played in the 1987 Pan American Games
representing Mexico. His highlight was the game against the US National Team. Though Mexico was overwhelmed by the US in a Group A
matchup, Ledesma, lining up against future NBA MVP and champion David Robinson
of the San Antonio Spurs, shared game-high scoring honors with 22 points and led Mexico with eight rebounds. He also played in the European Cup
while representing Club Achilleas
in 1992/93 and again in 1993/94 as the defending Cypriot league champion.
His success at the Pan American Games led to an NBA tryout and invitation from the Los Angeles Clippers
to participate in their 1987 preseason Veterans camp. He attended as a free agent, and started at center on opening night of the preseason versus the Utah Jazz
. He led the Clippers in rebounding in the preseason averaging 6.5 rpg in 12 mpg in four preseason games before his release.
Other leagues and international competitions he participated in include Monterey Bay League, California Community Colleges
, NCAA, Los Angeles Summer Pro League
, San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League
, Circuito Mexicano de Básquetbol, and National Superior Basketball.
Ledesma's highlights include leading Native America with 26 pts, 14 rbs. and in free throw percentage shooting 13 of 14 from the free throw line, although the team suffered a 106-90 loss.
In 2004 Ledesma attempted to enter the Native American National Team into the fledgling American Basketball Association
but did not succeed in receiving the necessary financial backing from Native American casinos.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Native American National Team and Buyorsellnetwork.com.
Biography
Born in Santa Clara, CaliforniaSanta Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
, Ledesma is of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and Native Mexican
Indigenous peoples of Mexico
Mexico, in the second article of its Constitution, is defined as a "pluricultural" nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it, and in which the indigenous peoples are the original foundation...
descent from his late father's family and Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
descent from his mother's family. His Indian name, Spider, was given to him as a young boy by his uncle Jess 'Joe Butch' Ledesma and confirmed upon him by his elder Clinton Pilcher, a member of the Oglala (Lakota) Sioux tribe
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala Lakota or Oglala Sioux are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people; along with the Nakota and Dakota, they make up the Great Sioux Nation. A majority of the Oglala live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the eighth-largest Native American reservation in the...
.
Basketball career
Ledesma began playing basketball in the 7th grade at Brownell Jr. High School in Gilroy, CA, and attended Gilroy High School. As a sophomore, he became a starter on the varsity team under Head Coach Richard Freedman. He earned First-Team All-League honors as a junior and was named Co-MVP of the Monterey Bay League during his senior year in 1982. During his senior year, growing to 6 feet 8 inches, he broke several records including becoming the all-time leading scorer in Gilroy High School history, a record which had stood for 20 years. Senior year honors included being named to the San Jose Mercury News first-team All-Central Coast Section (CCS) as well as being selected to play in the 1982 North-South All-Star ClassicNorth-South All-Star Classic
The North-South All-Star Classic was a postseason college football all-star game, the only edition of which took place in 2007. The game was played in Houston, Texas at the Galena Park ISD Stadium and telecast on ESPN 2....
.
Ledesma's Native American athletic career started at the age of 14 at an Indian tournament at San Jose City College
San Jose City College
San Jose City College, founded in 1921, is a community college located in the city of San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.San Jose City College was originally called San Jose Junior College and operated in downtown San Jose, California...
in 1978. At 16 he played in his first Canadian Indian tournament, at an Indian reservation near Calgary, AB
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. His importance increased as a native basketball player, as he continued to grow in height. He ultimately became a five-time National Indian Athletic Association (NIAA) national champion and three-time MVP. His first national championship was in 1991 on the Bemidji (Chippewa) reservation in Bemidji, MN where he led the Santa Clara Itashans to a resounding defeat of the North Dakota Warriors. His team also defeated an Indian squad led by Ernie Stevens Jr., current chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). Ledesma played for several years at tournaments in the Northwest on Indian reservations of the Chiloquin (Klamath)
Klamath Tribes
The Klamath Tribes, formerly the Klamath Indian Tribe of Oregon, are a federally recognized confederation of three Native American tribes who traditionally inhabited Southern Oregon and Northern California in the United States: the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin...
, Hoopa (Hupa)
Hupa
Hupa, also spelled Hoopa, are a Native American tribe in northwestern California. Their autonym is Natinixwe, also spelled Natinookwa, meaning "People of the Place Where the Trails Return." The majority of the tribe is enrolled in the federally recognized Hoopa Valley Tribe; however, some Hupa are...
, Warm Springs
Warm Springs Indian Reservation
The Warm Springs Indian Reservation consists of 1,019.385 sq mi in north central Oregon, in the United States, and is occupied and governed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.-Tribes:...
, and Yakima
Yakama Indian Reservation
The Yakama Indian Reservation is a United States Indian reservation located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington. It is the homeland of the Yakama tribe of Native Americans....
.
He was a member of FIBA
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
Club Achilleas
Achilleas
Achilleas is a Cypriot basketball club founded in 1943, nowadays running basketball, volleyball and table tennis divisions. It has been an integral part of the community in the suburb of Kaimakli in Nicosia...
in Cyprus. In the 1992/93 season, he was the 6th leading scorer in Div. I FIBA, at 31.5 ppg. He led Achilleas to a 10–0 preseason and then league-best season record of 17–1, and through the playoffs as they defeated Club Apoel and John Flowers of UNLV four games to one in the finals. The team went 12–1 in the post season for a total record of 39–2. Ledesma was named League MVP, Finals MVP, and declared the 'greatest foreigner to ever play in Cyprus' as voted on by the Cypriot sports media. In the 1995/96 season, his last year in FIBA and Cyprus, he led the world in Div. I scoring averaging 35.8 ppg, including scoring 40 points or more in five straight league contests.
He played in the 1987 Pan American Games
1987 Pan American Games
The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, from 7 August to 23 August 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the Americas competed in 30 sports earning...
representing Mexico. His highlight was the game against the US National Team. Though Mexico was overwhelmed by the US in a Group A
Basketball at the 1987 Pan American Games
The Men's Basketball Tournament at the 1987 Pan American Games was held from August 9 to August 23, 1987 at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, United States.-Participating nations:-Final ranking:-References:**...
matchup, Ledesma, lining up against future NBA MVP and champion David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
of the San Antonio Spurs, shared game-high scoring honors with 22 points and led Mexico with eight rebounds. He also played in the European Cup
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
while representing Club Achilleas
Achilleas
Achilleas is a Cypriot basketball club founded in 1943, nowadays running basketball, volleyball and table tennis divisions. It has been an integral part of the community in the suburb of Kaimakli in Nicosia...
in 1992/93 and again in 1993/94 as the defending Cypriot league champion.
His success at the Pan American Games led to an NBA tryout and invitation from the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
to participate in their 1987 preseason Veterans camp. He attended as a free agent, and started at center on opening night of the preseason versus the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He led the Clippers in rebounding in the preseason averaging 6.5 rpg in 12 mpg in four preseason games before his release.
Other leagues and international competitions he participated in include Monterey Bay League, California Community Colleges
California Community Colleges system
The California Community Colleges System consists of 112 community colleges in 72 community college districts in the U.S. state of California...
, NCAA, Los Angeles Summer Pro League
Summer Pro League
The Summer Pro League, officially known as The Southern California Summer Pro League is a basketball league held every summer in Long Beach, California where first and second round draft picks in the NBA are able to improve their skills. It is also a place where undrafted players are able to...
, San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League
San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League
The San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League is a summer basketball league for high school, college and professional players. For young players entering or already in college, it can be an important venue to be discovered by talent scouts. For professional players in the NBA or foreign leagues, the...
, Circuito Mexicano de Básquetbol, and National Superior Basketball.
Native American National Team
In 1997 Ledesma announced he would form an international basketball team and program to honor the sovereignty of Native American tribes and provide a vocational opportunity for Native American athletes—basketball players in particular. He is the acting CEO & President of Basketball Operations Native America. In 1999 Ledesma formed the first professional, All-Indian basketball team and international program.Ledesma's highlights include leading Native America with 26 pts, 14 rbs. and in free throw percentage shooting 13 of 14 from the free throw line, although the team suffered a 106-90 loss.
In 2004 Ledesma attempted to enter the Native American National Team into the fledgling American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association (2000–present)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
but did not succeed in receiving the necessary financial backing from Native American casinos.
External links
- Native American National Team, headed by Ledesma
- Buy or sell network, headed by Ledesma