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Andrew Lopez, ESPN
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado will not participate for Puerto Rico in the upcoming FIBA World Cup next month, it was announced Thursday.
Puerto Rico released its roster for the World Cup and Alvarado wasn’t listed. The national team said the Pelicans didn’t allow Alvarado to participate because of the stress reaction he had in his tibia that cost him the end of the 2022-23 regular season.
Former NBA guard Carlos Arroyo, who serves as the general manager for the Puerto Rican national team, said an MRI performed last week revealed that the injury hasn’t fully healed.
Alvarado sustained the injury Feb. 27 and missed the last 1½ months of the season for New Orleans. In 61 games, he averaged 9 points, 3 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
According to sources within the Pelicans organization, the move is for precautionary reasons with Alvarado reporting to training camp in two months.
During NBA summer league in Las Vegas, Alvarado told an ESPN broadcast about how much he wanted to play for Puerto Rico and potentially play against Pelicans teammate and close friend Brandon Ingram, who will be suiting up for the United States.
The United States and Puerto Rico will match up in a pre-tournament friendly in Las Vegas on Aug. 7.
Alvarado played for Puerto Rico in the qualifying window last summer, averaging 21 points, 5.5 assists and 5 rebounds in two games.