7 months ago
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JAMAICA’S BASKETBALL team recently had LA Clippers star Norman Powell joining the squad and is looking to add a few more high-quality recruits ahead of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas pre-qualifiers this summer.
However, Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA) President Paulton Gordon said their ability to recruit players of Jamaican descent from the NBA, and some European leagues, is limited because of a FIBA rule which prevents a player from switching allegiance to another country after the age of 16.
Gordon said although the situation poses a major difficulty in building the type of team they want to put together for the qualifiers, there are some special circumstances. The JBA will have to appeal those cases to FIBA on an individual basis.
“We are looking to recruit some players. We have some players in Europe who are looking to join the squad. We have seven to eight NBA players who have expressed interest, even though there may be some FIBA rules that do not favour us,” he said.
“FIBA want players in general to acquire their passport before the age of 16. Currently, we can only use one player who has acquired their passport after age 16 in any tournament squad.
“When I spoke to the FIBA general secretary, he said we would probably have to appeal some of the cases one by one, on an individual basis, and the assessment of their involvement in Jamaica basketball and their true intent.
“So we are working through the numbers, and we are working through the cases one by one to see who is eligible and who is not.”
He said players like Josh Minott of the Minnesota Timberwolves and London Johnson, who plays for the Cleveland Charges in the NBA G-League, have special circumstances and he expects those appeals to be successful.
“Someone like Nick Richards, who is born in Jamaica, there is not an issue. We are doing some research and trying to finalise the availability of somebody like Josh Minott.
“Josh played for the [Jamaica] under-17 team. He acquired his passport after his 16th birthday. So that is one of the things that we are working through.
“We have started the process and have made an appeal for London Johnson, who also played for our under-17 in 2021, and who is now in the G-League and looking to move up. Josh Minott, that discussion has started and we expect them to clear him,” he stated.
However, other possible additions, including centre Justin Champagnie (Washington Wizards), Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs), twins Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets) and Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons), might require a lot more for their appeals to go through.
“The ones who grew up overseas and have expressed interest, in discussions with the FIBA general secretary, it has been suggested how we might have to appeal those cases.
“But in a month or so, we will have a better idea of what the squad will be. And the plan is to have a trial in Jamaica on the 5th and 6th of July, and then have a training camp six to seven weeks before the qualifiers,” he added.
English (US) ·