Rumors

Carmelo Anthony on losing to Puerto Rico in 2004 Olympics: I should have played with them. I should have played with Puerto Rico. And then I'm over here not playing. I left PR. I just was in PR. I left Puerto Rico about to say, "Yay." And then I'm like, "All right, I realized that I plan on being in the NBA for a long time. USA Basketball is the pinnacle of this." So, at the time, Puerto Rico basketball wasn't it. You know, they were good, had great players, had good players on the island, but it was like, I want USA basketball. It's the prestige. It's the highest honor at that point. At that time. It wasn't where we put it at. I'mma break it down to you from my perspective, right? 2004. I was going to play with Puerto Rico. Just think about it. Yo, you ain't going to never be able to play with USA Basketball. All right. Cool. All right. Boom. Right after that, I get the call for ’04 Olympics. Dwyane Wade: Because all the players opted out. Anthony: Everybody opted out. So, this is telling you where USAB was at that point in time. Everybody opted out. Wade: All the top dogs opted out. Anthony: It was only a couple people left. They call us. Oh, hell yeah. I'm playing that mindset of I'm going to get to it. I'm playing Olympics. I'm going to get to it. I'm going to get it, I don't care who I'm going to get. This is my mentality. Like, man, I get to play USA basketball Olympics after my first year in the NBA. Damn. Okay. Like, this is what it is. Like, I can establish myself. This is dream team. And we go play that game in 04, get the sh*t beat out of us and the rest is history.

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Carmelo Anthony on losing to Puerto Rico in 2004 Olympics: I wasn't pissed off because I wanted to play. I knew what I was up against. But I also was a little bit tight because we were killing on the exhibition Dwyane Wade: The young guns. Anthony: We were hooping. So when we get to the Olympics, in my mind, I'm like, ‘Oh, this is our role on the team’- Bring it back up. If we up, keep it up. That was my mentality. And then it's like we get to match up with Puerto Rico. So like, damn, like I'm about to play. That's the team I'm about to play with. Yo, we got to get them. Like I got to play today. (…) I got to I have to play in this game. And then you don't play. And then at the end you get caught as a 19, 20 year old. ‘Oh, what do you think about the Puerto Rico? Shout out to Puerto Rico.’ Yeah. You let your emotions out right away. Shout out to Puerto Rico. Like I'm not about to say nothing bad about Puerto Rico. Shout out to Puerto Rico. Hell, that was a great game about Puerto Rico. Don't ask me. Wade: You wasn't in there. Anthony: I wasn't in there. Don't ask me. But I wasn't saying it like disrespectful. I was just saying it like a teenager would say it. I don't know, man. Go,like I ain't playing. Go ask him.  Wade: It's the image. It's the no shirt on. Did you have the backwards head on? Anthony: It was crazy, man. It was the image that they put out. The image that they put out there on the sideline. I know that image. I have that image in my crib just on the sideline. I'm just I look at it every time. That's where this sh*t started.

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Shams Charania: Free agent Malik Beasley has signed a deal to play in Puerto Rico for Grammy Award-winning artist Bad Bunny's team Santurce Crabbers, both parties tell ESPN. The team's season begins in March. Beasley has been under NBA and FBI investigations for gambling allegations.

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Shams Charania: This gives Beasley the opportunity to play for Bad Bunny's team in Puerto Rico and showcase ahead of 2026 free agency as he awaits a ruling on his NBA investigation. Beasley averaged 16.3 points in all 82 games for the Pistons last season, setting a franchise-record 319 3s.

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Carlos Arroyo on signing Danilo Gallinari to play in Puerto Rico. Carlos, were you worried about Danilo's defense? Arroyo: No, actually I was surprised to be honest. I was extremely surprised. I think because of his wingspan, he was able to contain better. And it helped the FIBA rules are different. You get to be in the paint a lot longer. You can stay a little bit longer. So you don't have to cover so much space. I think he benefited from that. Q. Why Danilo? What was your thought process behind it? Arroyo: He was cheap. (Laughs). Gallo and I connected in the pre-Olympics tournament in Puerto Rico. And then we connected again in Miami. It wasn't until like the third time we met in Miami for coffee that I actually presented to him the idea of playing in Puerto Rico. At the time just like JaVale McGee they were waiting for the call to get back into the NBA roster for playoffs. And we discussed that. When I was at the end of my career I was in the same situation. And I was in the same position of just wanting to slow down, not travel as much, be close to home. And I think Puerto Rico made sense for him.

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Stefan Bondy: Jose Alvarado on Bad Bunny halftime show: “Hell yeah. Can’t wait, you know. That’s a big opportunity for Puerto Ricans expanding. Especially me, being Boricua. But it’s big. For him to do what he did for us when he did the show (in Puerto Rico), it was tremendous. I went to the show, it was the best show I’ve ever been a part of. And he’s just doing a great job and I’m glad he’s able to show it at the highest level.”

Twitter

As Miami Heat guard Ethan Thompson continues to pursue his NBA dream, he’ll realize another dream this weekend. Thompson, who has Puerto Rican roots on his mother’s side of the family, will be part of an NBA game in Puerto Rico when the Heat begins its six-game preseason schedule on Saturday against the Orlando Magic at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun and NBA TV). “It was more than a dream come true, for sure,” Thompson said of finding out the Heat was playing a preseason game in Puerto Rico when he joined the team in August. “I dream about playing in the NBA and then having the ability to be part of a game that’s in Puerto Rico, an island that I love and has shown love to me. And growing up in the culture, being half Puerto Rican from my mom’s side, growing up with my grandparents, it’s a blessing for sure.”

Miami Herald

Several of today’s top entertainment and sports figures will participate in a celebrity game as a preamble to the NBA game that will be hosted on the island between the Heat of Miami and the Magic of Orlando on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Puerto Rico Coliseum José Miguel Agrelot. The celebrity duel, dubbed the NBA Puerto Rico Celebrity Game 2025, will take place the night before, on Friday, October 3 at 8:00 p.m. at the same venue. Figures such as Anuel AA, Wisin, Denise Quiñones, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Z

El Nuevo Dia

One group of stars will represent the Miami Heat and the other the Orlando Magic, wearing the official NBA uniforms of both teams. As an added attraction, legends from both NBA franchises will be present at the celebrity game as part of the coaching staff that will lead each team. For the Heat, Alonzo Mourning and Glen Rice will be joined by Carlos Arroyo. Meanwhile, the Magic’s celebrities will be joined on the sideline by former All-Star Nick Anderson and former National Team center, José “Piculín” Ortiz.

El Nuevo Dia

Puerto Rico NBA guard Jose Alvarado gave his team and fans a scare after a hard fall during Thursday night’s AmeriCup matchup against Argentina. The 27-year-old appeared to suffer a lower back or tailbone injury after driving to the rim in a tight overtime battle.

BasketNews

Fortunately, the news was more positive later in the evening. Alvarado posted an update on Instagram to calm concerns: “Appreciate the love, y’all. But your boy good. God got me.” Alvarado has battled injuries throughout his NBA career, never playing more than 61 games in a single season.

BasketNews

Danilo Gallinari has finally lifted the first team trophy of his long career — at the age of 37. The Italian forward guided Vaqueros de Bayamón to the Puerto Rican league title, defeating Leones de Ponce 82-68 in the decisive game to win the finals 4-1. In the crucial Game 5, Gallinari delivered 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists, going a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line to secure the championship and earn Finals MVP honors.

EuroHoops.net

Jason Beede: The #Magic will travel to Philadelphia to round out their 2025 preseason schedule, @orlandosentinel.com has learned. Orlando’s full preseason schedule: - Oct. 4: at Miami (San Juan, Puerto Rico), - Oct. 10 at Philadelphia, - Oct. 12: vs. Miami, - Oct. 16: vs. New Orleans

bsky.app

Ira Winderman: Heat at ongoing press conference announce Oct. 4 exhibition against Magic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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