Cisco Oliver

For the Spanish swimmer, see Israel Oliver Peña.

Israel Oliver (born December 28, 1947), better known as Cisco Oliver is a retired American professional basketball player.

Standing at 6'6", 210 lb from Elizabeth City State University, Oliver was drafted in the tenth round of the 1970 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He later played in the very first season of Asia's first professional basketball league, the Philippine Basketball Association during its inaugural season in 1975 with the Mariwasa-Noritake Porcelain makers. He spent three more seasons in the PBA with two teams, also playing for Presto/Great Taste in his final year in 1978.

TV Commercial

Cisco Oliver appeared in the 1970s Philippine Television commercial from the Milk brand Alaska in tandem with the young Michael Uytengsu. (son of Wilfred Uytengsu, Sr. who would later become the team owner of the Alaska Aces PBA ballclub) In that commercial, Oliver and Uytengsu played one-on-one basketball where the kid outplayed the big man. Towards the end, they exchange fives and the young kid was drinking Alaska. Oliver asks "What's that man! and he responded "Alaska, man!" and "yeah" after Oliver asks him again if it tastes delicious.

PBA Career stats

Season Team GP FG-PCT REBS. PTS AVE.
1975 Noritake 16 49.20 210 546 34.10
1977 Presto 19 51.33 170 628 33.05
1978 Honda 11 50.46 155 412 37.45
1978 Great Taste 13 49.10 145 416 31.92

References