Traditionally, every week we bring you a list of the top performances of Puerto Ricans who are currently playing abroad.
#1. This week's number one is former international forward
Maurice Harkless (203-93, college:
St.John's, currently plays in NBA). He could not help the
Sacramento Kings (24-35) in their last game. Despite Harkless' very good performance the Sacramento Kings (24-35) lost
120-134 on the road to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He was the top scorer with 20 points. Harkless also added 7 rebounds in 29 minutes on the court.
This year Harkless averages: 6.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 59.5%(22-37), 3FGP: 30.6% and FT: 84.2% in 14 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American.
Harkless played for the Puerto Rican senior national team five years ago.
Strangely he has never played in Puerto Rico.
#2. Second place goes to an international power forward
Devon Collier (203-91, college:
Oregon St., currently plays in Uruguay). Collier led
Nacional to a victory against the closely-ranked Malvin (5-4)
89-81 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB on Thursday night.
He had a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 11 rebounds. Collier also added 3 blocks in 30 minutes.
Nacional De Futbol Montevideo (6-3) is placed third in the LUB.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical.
Collier has relatively good stats this year: 13.2ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.6bpg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 60.3%(47-78) and FT: 73.5% in nine games.
He is another player who holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Collier is in the roster of the Puerto Rican senior national team. He used to play for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#3. The Puerto Rican player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard
Gian Clavell (193-93, college:
Colorado St., currently plays in VTB United League). Clavell led his Russian team
Avtodor to a victory over the closely-ranked Parma (10-14)
100-93 in the VTB United League in Saturday night's game.
He was MVP of the game. Clavell scored 28 points (!!!), made 5 passes and 3 steals.
Avtodor Saratov (9-14) is placed ninth in group A.
They ended the series of five consecutive loses.
His team will play only one more game in the VTB United League Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial.
Clavell has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 15.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 48.5% and FT: 78.4%.
Clavell is also a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team.
#4. Guard
Gary Browne (185-93, college:
WVU, currently plays in Italy) was not able to help
Trento in their game against Sassari (4-21) in the Italian Serie A.
Browne scored 9 points, made 5 passes and 3 steals.
But the league leader Trento was badly defeated
94-76 on the opponent's court by the much lower-ranked Sassari (#12).
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important.
This season Browne has relatively solid stats: 13.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.5apg and 1.6spg.
He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Browne is also Puerto Rican national team player.
He used to play for Coamo in Puerto Rican league.
#5. An experienced former international guard
John Holland (196-88, college:
Boston U., currently plays in VTB United League) contributed to an easy victory against the eighth-ranked Parma (10-14)
69-51 in the VTB United League in Tuesday night's game.
Holland recorded 7 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Unics Kazan (18-5) is placed second in group A.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
They will play only one more game in the VTB United League Regular Season. And now that game is quite important.
It's Holland's first season with the team.
This year his overall stats are: 9.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.8apg and 1.2spg in 13 games.
Holland also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
He used to play for the Puerto Rican national team
two years ago.
Holland played also for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#6. Forward
Christopher Ortiz (203-93, agency:
Network Sports International, college:
Kent St., currently plays in Uruguay) contributed to
Defensor's victory against the fourth-ranked Capitol (5-4)
94-80 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB last Saturday.
He scored 11 points, had 9 rebounds and dished 3 assists.
Defensor Sporting Club Montevideo (4-4) is placed eighth in the LUB.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season.
This season Ortiz has very high stats. He averages: 15.1ppg, 7.5rpg and 1.1spg.
Ortiz holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
He is an international player who is currently on the senior Puerto Rican National Team roster.
Ortiz used to play for Santurce in Puerto Rican league.
#7. International point guard
J.J. Barea (183-84, college:
Northeastern, currently plays in Spain) was not able to secure a victory for
Movil Estudiantes (18-12) in their last game. Despite his good performance Movil Estudiantes lost
82-96 in Sevilla to the much lower-ranked (#16) Real Betis.
Barea scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 25 minutes.
Barea has reliable stats this year: 12.3ppg, 1.3rpg and 4.3apg in 14 games.
He is also Puerto Rican national team player.
#8. Forward
Phillip Wheeler (204-4, currently plays in Argentina) managed to help Gimnasia y Esgrima Comodoro Rivadavia in a victory against the league outsider H.Americano crushing them
84-45 in the Argentinian La Liga last Friday.
He scored only 2 points in 6 minutes on the court.
Gimnasia y Esgrima Comodoro Rivadavia (23-13) is placed seventh in the La Liga.
It was Gimnasia's fourth consecutive victory in a row.
This year Wheeler's total stats are: 5.0ppg and 1.9rpg in 12 games.
He holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
Wheeler used to play for the Puerto Rican U17 national team
back in 2018. He played also for Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rican league.
#9. International point guard
Alexander Abreu (180-91, college:
UWG, currently plays in Dominican Republic) contributed to an easy victory against the league outsider Sameji (1-9) crushing them
115-90 in a derby game in the Dominican Rep. Santiago League (second division) on Sunday night.
Abreu recorded 12 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
Pueblo Nuevo (7-3) is placed second in the Santiago League.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Abreu has averaged so far 7.5ppg, 2.4rpg and 7.6apg.
He is also in the roster of the Puerto Rican national team.
#10. Forward
Jose Rodriguez (201-92, college:
Texas Southern, currently plays in Dominican Republic) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked CPN (7-3)
104-88 in a derby game in the Dominican Rep. Santiago League (second division) last Wednesday.
He recorded 15 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. CDP Domingo Paulino Santiago (6-4) is placed third in the Santiago League.
This season Rodriguez has very high stats. He averages: 15.2ppg, 5.2rpg and 2.3apg.
Rodriguez is an international player who is currently on the senior Puerto Rican National Team roster.
#11. International forward
Emmanuel Andujar (198-93, college:
Manhattan, currently plays in Dominican Republic) was the main contributor in
Cupes' victory against the closely-ranked GUG crushing them
101-74 in a derby game in the Dominican Rep. Santiago League (second division) last Tuesday.
He was the best player in that game. Andujar recorded 20 points in 31 minutes.
Andujar has very impressive stats this year: 16.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.6apg and 2.1spg in 11 games.
He holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
Andujar plays currently for the Puerto Rican national team.
He used to play for Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#12. Former U18 international forward
Owens Perez (203-92, currently plays in El Salvador) contributed to an easy victory against the sixth-ranked Aguila
83-65 in the Salvadorean Liga MB (second division) in Thursday night's game.
He recorded 6 points, 17 rebounds and 4 assists in 26 minutes.
Perez has very impressive stats this year: 16.6ppg, 21.1rpg and 3.1apg in eight games.
He used to play for the Puerto Rican U18 national team
back in 2010.
#13. International shooting guard
Gilberto Clavell (200-89, college:
SHSU, currently plays in Mexico) contributed to
Dorados' victory against the closely-ranked Toros
122-116 in the Mexican LBE (third division) last Wednesday.
Clavell was the top player that evening. He scored 25 points, had 7 rebounds and dished 8 assists.
This season Clavell has very high stats. He averages: 17.7ppg, 4.0rpg and 1.8apg.
Clavell is also Puerto Rican national team player.
The list of other players, who all have Puerto Rican passport but never been selected to any of Puerto Rican national teams: #1. Kyle Vinales (185-G-92, agency:
Network Sports International, college:
CCSU, currently plays in Lithuania) led
Lietkabelis to a victory against the closely-ranked P.Zvaigzdes (12-19)
98-90 in the Lithuanian LKL last Sunday.
Vinales scored 13 points, made 9 passes and 5 steals.
Panevezys Lietkabelis (20-10) is placed third in the LKL.
Vinales has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 16.8ppg, 2.1rpg and 4.9apg.
Vinales has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American.
He used to play for Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.
#2. Ivan Aska (201-F-90, agency:
011 Sports, college:
Murray St., currently plays in North Macedonia) led
Rabotnicki to a victory over one of league's weakest teams Vardar (4-17) crushing them
92-72 in a derby game in the North Macedonian Prva Liga last Wednesday.
He was the best player in that game. Aska recorded 30 points (!!!) and grabbed 8 rebounds in 32 minutes.
KK Rabotnicki AD Skopjeis placed third in the Prva Liga.
Aska has very impressive stats this year: 17.0ppg, 5.0rpg and 1.5spg in two games he played so far.
He is another player who holds two passports: U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican.
#3. Jojo Walker (185-G-97, college:
Portland, currently plays in North Macedonia) contributed to
Gostivar's victory against the closely-ranked Rabotnicki (13-6)
83-79 in the North Macedonian Prva Liga in Saturday night's game.
Walker scored 10 points and added 3 assists.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. KK Gostivar (5-10) is placed fourth in the Prva Liga.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Walker's stats this season are: 13.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 5.0apg and 1.3spg.
#4. Experienced
Benjamin Colon (201-F-84, college:
Florida St. Jkv, currently plays in Dominican Republic) could not help
GUG (6-4) in their last game. Despite Colon's good performance GUG was edged
106-105 in a derby game by the one of league's weakest teams (#5) Plaza.
He scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Colon's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Colon has averaged so far 7.2ppg, 4.8rpg and 1.2apg in nine games.
He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Colon used to play for Vanqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.
#5. Hector Maldonado (185-G-91, currently plays in Dominican Republic) was not able to help
Sameji (1-9) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the bottom-ranked Sameji was crushed
115-90 in a derby game by the second-ranked CPN.
Maldonado was the top scorer with 20 points. He also added 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 23 minutes.
The Regular Season already ended.
Maldonado's stats this year are: 15.0ppg, 2.2rpg and 1.8apg in six games.
#6. Jose Guitian (207-F-87, college:
Lasell, currently plays in Dominican Republic) is a teammate of previously mentioned Hector Maldonado and both played together in the last Dominican Rep. Santiago League game.
Guitian was not able to secure a victory for
Sameji (1-9) in their last game on Sunday. Despite his very good performance the bottom-ranked Sameji was crushed
115-90 in a derby game by the second-ranked CPN.
Guitian recorded 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
Guitian's stats this season are: 10.8ppg, 5.8rpg and 2.5apg.
He also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Guitian used to play for Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rican league.
#7. Denilson Fonseca (190-G-98, currently plays in Luxembourg) managed to help Basket Esch to win against the closely-ranked Etzella
88-82 in the Luxembourg Total League on Sunday night.
Fonseca recorded only 2 points.
Fonseca has averaged so far 3.7ppg and 2.8rpg.
