With the Qualifying Tournaments for the 2024 Summer Olympics around the corner, multiple countries are looking to outsource talent. Two, Poland and Puerto Rico, are making a serious push for an Olympic berth.
Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Brogdon has “applied for Polish citizenship, potentially being called up by Poland’s national team in the near future,” per Onet’s Jakub Wojczyński (h/t EuroHoops). He’s “already sent papers to one of Poland’s consulates in the United States, waiting for President Andrzej Duda’s signature to confirm the procedures,” Wojczyński adds. In order for Poland to earn an Olympic berth, they’ll have to gain entry through the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Brogdon is African-American, not a Polish descendant. However, his wife “has Polish roots, and [he] visited the country back in 2021 to train in different cities.”
A second-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Brogdon won Rookie of the Year in 2017 while with the Milwaukee Bucks. He was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 in his sole season with the Boston Celtics. Because he isn’t flashy, he isn’t a household name. However, he’s one of the more successful players in NBA history.
Last season, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 39.1 percent from 3. If selected, Brogdon’s basketball IQ, two-way playmaking, and outside efficiency will all benefit the Polish national team.
Markus Howard
Markus Howard is of Puerto Rican descent. His brother, Jordan, represented Puerto Rico in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
A former college standout, Howard went undrafted in 2020. He then signed a pair of two-way contracts with the Denver Nuggets that kept him in the NBA for two seasons. Unable to get much playing time because of his diminutive stature at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he moved on to the EuroLeague. Signing with Baskonia in 2022, Howard’s quickly become one of Europe’s best scorers.
In 2023-24, Howard won the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy after averaging 19.5 points per game. He also set the EuroLeague’s single-season scoring record with 759 points.
Puerto Rico Basketball Federation president Yum Ramos spoke about FIBA approving Howard’s sports citizenship change, saying: “After a long process, this is definitely great news and a significant contribution to our national team. We are talking about one of the best scorers in Europe” (per Basketnews).
Puerto Rico national team Carlos Arroyo general manager also addressed Howard being granted citizenship.
“We are very happy to welcome Markus to our national team,” Arroyo says. “Markus has become one of the best players in Europe.. It is a luxury to have him. His offensive level will raise the expectations of our team.”
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