THE FLATS – Jose Alvarado is back with the Puerto Rico national team as it tries to qualify for the Olympic games … Chris Bosh reveals some insight into the Big 3 prior to teaming up in Miami … Jordan Usher signs with French team for 2024-25 … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
ALVARADO RETURNS TO PUERTO RICO TEAM FOR OLYMPIC QUALIFYING
After missing the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Jose Alvarado made his return for the Puerto Rican national team ahead of this year’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament held at home in San Juan.
Playing in two games at the American Qualifiers, one of those by contributing to a 97-87 win against Mexico, he averaged 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists for the national team.
The New Orleans Pelicans guard was included in Nelson Colon’s 12-man official list for the tournament, playing against Italy and Bahrain in Group B, while Lithuania, Mexico, and Ivory Coast will be playing in Group A. Unlike his brother Jordan, Baskonia‘s Markus Howard won’t be available.
Puerto Rico’s full roster for the FIBA OQT in San Juan: Tremont Waters, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Howard, Gian Clavell, Stephen Thompson, Isaiah Pineiro, Davon Reed, Aleem Ford, Chris Ortiz, Ismael Romero, Arnaldo Toro, George Conditt IV.
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 hoping to fulfil a dream in front of home crowd 💭#FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/aZPeD1IsUG
— FIBA (@FIBA) June 18, 2024
De Puerto Rico 🏀🇵🇷 En busca de llegar a @Paris2024 🔥 Ellos son tus 12 para el Repechaje Olímpico 🔥
Del 2-7 de julio en el @ColiseoPR 🎟️ Boletos en @ticketera 🙌 #YoSoydePR pic.twitter.com/2zQtfm8Sha
— FBPUR 🏀🇵🇷 (@fbpur) June 4, 2024
BOSH REVEALS HOW HEAT’S BIG 3 STOPPED COMMUNICATING BEFORE TEAMING UP
Contrary to popular belief that LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade were in constant communication and seamlessly aligned in their decision to unite forces in Miami, CB4 himself once disclosed a different reality.
According to the 6’11” center, the never-ending media frenzy and constant speculations surrounding their trio got all of them so frustrated that they stopped talking to one another. It went to the extent that Bosh wasn’t even sure if LBJ would ultimately join them in South Beach or not.
The summer of 2010 was huge for all the big free agents – James, Bosh, and Wade. The four-time MVP had fallen short in the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals during his initial seven-year stint with the Cavs, while Chris hadn’t made it past the first round in his seven years with the Raptors. As for Wade, he hadn’t been able to get past the opening round in the previous four seasons (he missed the playoffs entirely in ‘07-08).
“It was so exhaustive, we stopped talking to each other; we couldn’t,” Bosh said on his appearance on the Real Ones podcast. “It was the last thing that we wanted to talk about.”
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Never forget just how important Chris Bosh was to those Miami Heat teams! pic.twitter.com/vLTOvFvigy
— Dunk League (@DunkLeague) June 16, 2024
JORDAN USHER TO RETURN TO EUROPE IN 2024-25
JL Bourg signed 26-year-old American forward Jordan Usher for the upcoming 2024-25 season. His contract includes a EuroLeague out clause that can be exercised until July 15.
The 26-year-old player joins the BKT EuroCup finalists from the Australian championship, where he played for the Perth Wildcats.
After playing college basketball at USC and Georgia Tech and going undrafted in 2022, Usher spent his first professional season in Turkey with Besiktas.
In 30 BSL games, he averaged 14.33 points, 3.73 rebounds, 1.23 assists, and 1.23 steals per game before moving to the NBL, where he averaged 12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 31 appearances.
Perth Wildcats farewell American import Jordan Usher to France’s JL Bourg after one season
Big news! 📣
Jordan Usher has signed with JL Bourg! 🇫🇷🏀
Excited to see him make waves in the French league. 🌟🔥#JordanUsher #JLBourg #BasketballNews #NewBeginnings #NBL #PerthWildcats pic.twitter.com/CCnHG1uaQb
— BNA 🇦🇺 (@AusBballnews) June 18, 2024