1. Early life and college career
1.1. Early life and background
Francisco Alberto García Gutiérrez was born on December 31, 1981, in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic. He moved to the United States during his sophomore year of high school and attended The Winchendon School.
1.2. College career
García played college basketball for the University of Louisville under coach Rick Pitino, alongside future NBA player Reece Gaines and best friend Taquan Dean.
In his freshman year (2002-03), he quickly established himself as a talented three-point shooter, averaging 11.2 points per game with a 42.5% three-point field goal percentage. This performance earned him the Conference USA Rookie of the Year award. He also contributed significantly in the conference tournament, leading his team with an average of 14.7 points per game and being selected for the All-Tournament Team. That same year, during the offseason, García represented the Dominican Republic at the 2003 Pan American Games, where he helped his national team win a silver medal.
During his sophomore year, García became a consistent starter and the team's leading scorer, averaging 16.4 points per game, which led to his selection for the Conference All-First Team. In his junior year, he averaged 15.7 points per game and, along with Taquan Dean, led the fourth-seeded Cardinals to the 2005 Final Four in Saint Louis, Missouri, where they were ultimately defeated by top-ranked Illinois in the National Semifinals. His strong performance also led to his nomination for the prestigious John Wooden Award.
In the offseason of 2005, García again represented the Dominican Republic, this time at the 2005 FIBA Americas Championship, where he averaged 18.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, though the team finished in 6th place. In April 2005, he declared for the NBA draft, foregoing his final year of college eligibility.
2. Professional career
Francisco García's professional basketball journey included a decade in the NBA, followed by stints in other professional leagues in the Caribbean.
2.1. NBA career
2.1.1. Sacramento Kings
García was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 23rd overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. In his rookie season (2005-06), he appeared in 67 games, starting 11 of them, and averaged 5.6 points per game. For his first two seasons with the Kings, García's playing time was generally limited, often coming off the bench for less than 20 minutes per game.
However, in his third season (2007-08), García saw a significant increase in playing time due to injuries sustained by several key players on the team. He capitalized on this opportunity, becoming a vital contributor as a shooter for the Kings. In September 2008, recognizing his value to the team, the Kings signed him to a five-year contract extension. He spent over seven seasons with the Sacramento Kings before being traded.
2.1.2. Houston Rockets
On February 20, 2013, García was part of a multi-player trade that sent him, along with Thomas Robinson and Tyler Honeycutt, to the Houston Rockets. In return, the Kings received Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas, and Cole Aldrich.
García re-signed with the Rockets on August 5, 2013, and again on August 22, 2014, demonstrating the team's continued interest in his services. However, his tenure with the Rockets concluded on December 19, 2014, when he was waived. This move came after the Rockets acquired Corey Brewer and Alexey Shved in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Philadelphia 76ers, which required the Rockets to clear roster space.
2.2. Other professional leagues
After his NBA career, Francisco García continued to play professional basketball in other leagues.
In 2016, on January 14, he signed with Vaqueros de Bayamón of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the top-tier professional basketball league in Puerto Rico. He played with the team until May 12, 2016, when he was waived. In 2017, García played for Indios de San Francisco in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto, the professional basketball league in his home country, the Dominican Republic.
3. National team career
Francisco García was a consistent member of the Dominican Republic national basketball team throughout his career, representing his country in several major international tournaments.
He won a silver medal with the Dominican Republic at the 2003 Pan American Games. In the 2005 FIBA Americas Championship, he was a key player for his national team, averaging 18.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, contributing to their 6th place finish. García also proudly represented the Dominican Republic at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
4. Career statistics
4.1. NBA
Below are Francisco García's key statistical records from his NBA career, including both regular season and playoff data.
4.1.1. Regular season
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | Sacramento Kings | 67 | 11 | 19.4 | .400 | .285 | .772 | 2.8 | 1.4 | .6 | .7 | 5.6 |
| 2006-07 | Sacramento Kings | 79 | 5 | 17.8 | .429 | .356 | .833 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .6 | .5 | 6.0 |
| 2007-08 | Sacramento Kings | 79 | 20 | 26.5 | .463 | .391 | .779 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.2 | .6 | 12.3 |
| 2008-09 | Sacramento Kings | 65 | 36 | 30.4 | .444 | .398 | .820 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 12.7 |
| 2009-10 | Sacramento Kings | 25 | 4 | 23.0 | .466 | .390 | .882 | 2.6 | 1.8 | .4 | .8 | 8.1 |
| 2010-11 | Sacramento Kings | 58 | 34 | 23.9 | .436 | .362 | .855 | 2.3 | 1.2 | .9 | .8 | 9.7 |
| 2011-12 | Sacramento Kings | 49 | 3 | 16.3 | .376 | .290 | .800 | 2.0 | .6 | .7 | .8 | 4.8 |
| 2012-13 | Sacramento Kings | 40 | 15 | 17.8 | .376 | .367 | .857 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .8 | .8 | 5.2 |
| 2012-13 | Houston Rockets | 18 | 5 | 17.7 | .432 | .386 | .857 | 1.3 | 1.1 | .8 | .4 | 6.4 |
| 2013-14 | Houston Rockets | 55 | 4 | 19.7 | .401 | .358 | .526 | 2.2 | 1.1 | .5 | .6 | 5.7 |
| 2014-15 | Houston Rockets | 14 | 0 | 14.3 | .270 | .222 | .250 | 1.2 | 1.1 | .6 | .4 | 3.2 |
| Career | 549 | 137 | 21.6 | .427 | .357 | .799 | 2.6 | 1.4 | .8 | .7 | 7.9 | |
4.1.2. Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Sacramento Kings | 6 | 0 | 6.8 | .455 | .250 | 1.000 | .3 | .2 | .3 | .3 | 2.2 |
| 2013 | Houston Rockets | 6 | 3 | 27.3 | .440 | .459 | .600 | 3.3 | 1.5 | .7 | .8 | 10.7 |
| 2014 | Houston Rockets | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | .333 | .000 | .705 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 3.5 |
| Career | 14 | 3 | 16.2 | .433 | .409 | .727 | 1.7 | .7 | .4 | .5 | 6.0 | |
5. Achievements and honors
Francisco García's career, both in college and professionally, was marked by several notable achievements and individual recognitions.
- College:**
- Conference USA Rookie of the Year (2002-03)
- Conference Tournament All-Tournament Team selection (2003)
- Conference All-First Team selection
- NCAA Final Four appearance (2005)
- John Wooden Award nominee
- International:**
- Silver Medal at the 2003 Pan American Games (with Dominican Republic national team)