Hoops and Culture

When Miami Heat shooting guard Norman Powell announced he’d be joining the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) in April, the 32-year-old veteran triggered a new wave of NBA players looking to shift the tides of international basketball. Powell’s decision represented more than just a personal or professional choice; it showcased a willingness to play for national pride – while shining a spotlight on his homeland, known more for track and field than hoops.

In a league dominated by domestic talent, moves like Powell’s not only grow the game overseas but also give players, perhaps thought to be rotational players in the NBA, their own stage to shine. While all eyes might be on NBA free agency now, these international moves are under close watch, especially looking toward the 2027 FIBA World Cup. 

Born in California to Jamaican parents, Powell’s announcement was not the first amongst NBA players looking to connect their heritage to their hoops. The list includes players like Jordan Clarkson, representing the Philippines, Kyle Anderson (China), and, most notably, Karl-Anthony Towns, representing the Dominican Republic. The Knicks' big man first decided to represent the country of his mother's birth at just 16 years old, for the 2012 Centrobasket tournament. He reaffirmed his decision years later as a three-time All-Star, turning down USA Basketball to represent the DR at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. 

KAT, like Powell, cited national pride and a desire to elevate their nations’ international basketball notoriety. 

“I made my decision and I never look back on it,” Towns told ESPN’s Andscape in 2017. “I do everything I can to take [the Dominican Republic] to the next level and get them to the Olympics… I’m not just doing this for myself. I’m doing it for everybody.” 

While such opportunities eluded the likes of original Dream Teamer Patrick Ewing and Rumeal Robinson, who won a national championship at Michigan and later played for six teams in his six-year NBA career, the hoops environment today is wide open – and now the JaBA is the beneficiary of an influx of talent interested in representing the black, green, and gold.

Eight players followed Powell’s lead, composed of NBA talent that, in my opinion, could give Play-In teams a run for their money. Stars like Raptors All-Star forward Scottie Barnes and the high-flying Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar, take the headlines, as all are reportedly in talks with head coach Rick Turner to aid in acquiring their Jamaican passports. Other incoming players reportedly include highly rated Spurs guard Devin Vassell and Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who received Second Team All-Rookie honors. Add in already capped Jamaican internationals, Phoenix Suns shot-blocker Nick Richards, and Timberwolves youngster Josh Minott, and Coach Turner has the makings of an intriguing and competitive group. 

University of Georgia senior Justin Abson is one of the younger beneficiaries of Jamaica Basketball’s recent recruitment efforts to US-born players, having received the call-up after a training camp this past spring.

“There was some buzz about some NBA guys that were gonna be there, but weren’t there [yet]… So it was me, Coach Turner, and another player named Ro, and I said Coach, when am I going to know when I make the team, he said ‘Right now.’ So that’s how I found out. You know it was a good experience, and I’m thankful for him having me.”

The playmaking rim-protector is taking advantage of the wide variety on display in the international pro environment. Abson, born and raised in Coconut Creek, Florida, acquired his Jamaican passport through his mother, a native of Saint Andrew. 

“Some of the guys are like 10 years older than me, so it's going to be difficult. But it wasn’t too challenging, I was just being a sponge, too, trying to learn from all those guys as much as I can.” Abson went on to explain the call-up and what it meant to play alongside his countrymen for the first time. 

“Honestly, just representing my country and playing on the national stage or the international stage was big enough [and] playing with Norman Powell is the icing on the cake.”   

JaBA certainly hopes this is only the beginning - a wave that will set a foundation for the future. International basketball creates a unique opportunity for players to showcase their talent in more prominent ways. At FIBA tournaments, role players can become stars, and stars can become national heroes. Rather than fight for a place in the USA Basketball setup, an overly stacked group in which even All-Stars struggle to get minutes, national teams like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic represent an alternate path.    

It’s a dilemma that arises often in soccer — fans and footballers alike trace national team decisions like they’re transfer window signings. For young players, the choice of who to represent, if granted the opportunity, includes all the factors discussed by Powell, KAT, and the new-look Jamaican national team. Rather than try to break into the national pools of powerhouse nations like England, France, or Spain, players may opt to turn out for the countries of their heritage. 

When choosing to represent smaller countries, players have the chance to play in major international tournaments while representing their families on the biggest stage. 

 Iñaki Williams is Exhibit A. After years of high-level performances, captaining Athletic Bilbao, Williams was consistently overlooked by the senior Spanish national team. So he switched and chose to represent Ghana in 2022 despite spending his entire life and professional career in Spain and representing them at youth levels. Williams decided to play for the Black Stars to further connect with his Ghanaian roots and culture and for the chance to play in a World Cup. Even the Jamaican national team’s soccer counterparts fielded a starting eleven featuring seven English-born players in their most recent Gold Cup match. 

For basketball and the NBA, having stars suit up for the countries of their heritage can only be a good thing. USA Basketball isn’t going anywhere, but as we saw in the Olympics last year, the best way to keep the games competitive is to have the world catch up. And when players embrace their heritage on the court, fans get league-level matchups for more games, across all stages of international play.

Writer Maxwell Wright, who played Division 1 soccer at American University and Coastal Carolina University, works as a Writer and Contributing Editor for Malindi Press. With experience in the sports & entertainment agency field, he combines a passion for the convergence of music, culture, and sport to see what’s on the forefront of all three. 

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