frieze Juan Toscano Andersonthe only Mexican NBA champion, was eliminated on Friday by Omar Quintero Mexico national team coach, for the FIBA Basketball World Cup that will be held from August 25 to September 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
Omar Quintero.
The strategist explained at a news conference.
The Mexican-American who will take part in the World Cup is Josh Ibarra. In addition to him, there will be Daniel Amigo, who, thanks to the efforts of the federation, is already considered a Mexican. So we’ll have the two centers.
With Ibarra designated as a naturalized player on Mexico’s roster, the possibility of Toscano, a free agent looking for an NBA team, was erased.
Toscano Anderson, a native of Oakland, but of a Mexican mother, had already given up the representative tricolor this past March, to focus on his career in the NBA; Despite the announcement of the NBA champion in the 2021-2022 season with the Golden State Warriors, Quintero did not close the door on the former Los Angeles Lakers player.
I have a good relationship with Juan and I think it is an important moment in his career. I want to wish you all the best and success. We know he wants to focus on his next NBA contract which is respectable. If you change your mind, we’ll have a rapprochement.
In addition to revealing the Mexican-American who will be part of the World Cup roster, Quintero announced the preparation matches his team will be playing in Mexico, before traveling to the Asian event.
The focus starts this Saturday in Puebla, where on July 14 we’ll play against Cuba. Then on the 19th, in Merida, and on the 22nd, in Torreon, we will also face Cuba. On July 26 we will go to Ciudad Juárez to face Colombia and on the 29th we will face them again in the farewell match we wanted so much in Mexico City “, added the coach.
Coming off Mexico’s silver medal finish at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games San Salvador, the country’s average age of 24 has returned to the men’s basketball podium since Barranquilla 2018.
(With info from EFE)