Best Players From Each Nation: Caribbeans, part 2

Welcome back to Hardwood Amino, where we continue our series on the best players by nation. Today, we're back in the Caribbean. If you haven't done so, I invite you to read the first part before moving on to this one. Either way, let's get to it.

British Virgin Islands: Kleon Penn

In 2009, the British Virgin Islands won the only medal in its history. The silver medal at the Caribbean Championship was a fine collective performance, but one of the key players was center Kleon Penn. At 23, the player was the team's best rebounder and shot-blocker, as well as the fifth-best scorer. He was even the tournament's best shot-blocker. His defensive skills as a control tower were his main asset throughout his career. In Puerto Rico, Kleon was named defensive player of the year 3 times. He is also the best shot-blocker in league history. Thanks to these achievements, he was selected in the league's decade-team.

Dominican Republic: Al Horford

The 21st century marks the golden age of Dominican basketball. The country won its first major medal in 2011 with a 3rd place finish at the AmeriCup. The key player on this journey was without hesitation a young Al Horford, who was named in the team of the tournament. In his prime, he could play in the post, anchor the paint on defense and spread out to the perimeter to space the court with his clumsy but devastating mid-range shot. He had the profile of an interior offensive hub, so versatile and effective.

The attack often came through Horford, who was capable of hurting defenses from the high and low posts in many ways. He could score on both ends, but he could also move the ball and create for his teammates. Although Horford didn't deliver many assists, his role wasn't to finish actions, but rather to be a source of options. This versatility has allowed him to age well. Even now, in Boston, he's an important part of a title-contending team. A 5-time All-Star, an All-NBA 3rd Team selection and an All-Defensive Second Team selection, Horford has had a fine career and is aiming to add another line to his record: NBA champion.

Karl-Anthony Towns in many ways is a more talented player than Horford was in his heyday, but until KAT can maximize his abilities, Horford will remain on this list of the best players by nation.

Jamaica: Roy Hibbert

The island of Jamaica is home to many renowned players, including Patrick Ewing. Alas, as he has chosen to play for Team USA, Ewing is ineligible. But he's not the only Jamrock-born All-Star. Roy Hibbert is often treated today as one of the worst All-Stars in history, a player who took advantage of a period when the center position was less crowded. Moreover, his sudden and brutal fall from All-Star to undesirable has helped to accentuate this view.

However, we shouldn't forget why Hibbert was a 2-time All-Star and was selected to an All-Defensive Second Team in 2014. Hibbert was an impressive hoop protector, an ultra-efficient shot-blocker thanks to his incredible wingspan. Big, powerful and tough, he wasn't just a defender. He was also a threat under the basket and on the receiving end of lobs. What's more, he also had a good hook shot, which he used to score extra points. His decline was hard to understand, but thanks to his heyday, he deserves his place on this list of the best players by nation.

Montserrat: Noel Weekes

Despite ing FIBA in 1986, Montserrat has not participated in any tournaments. In the pre-qualification phase for the AmeriCup 2021, Montserrat won 2 games and lost 4. During these 6 matches, 40-year-old Noel Weekes was Montserrat's best player. The 1.83m small forward was his team's top scorer as well as second-best er, rebounder and interceptor. Locally, Weekes is a firefighter who has been league MVP 3 times in a row and champion 5 times, including 3 consecutively.

Puerto Rico: José Ortiz

Puerto Rico is one of the most respected nations in continental basketball. 3-time winners of the AmeriCup, they are also regular and dangerous participants in the World Cup. The late 80s and 90s saw one of Puerto Rico's finest generations. A 4th place in the 1990 World Championship and 4 AmeriCup finals, 2 of which they won. At the heart of this great generation was a renowned interior, José Ortiz.

While Ortiz never managed to break into the NBA with the Jazz, the player made a name for himself in the rest of the world. Winner of the Korać Cup in 1997, he was also an All-Star in Greece with Aris. In Spain, he was an All-Star and King's Cup winner with Barcelona. José was crowned champion 8 times on his native island and was MVP in 2002. In addition to his club achievements, he was a 5-time Centrobasket winner and gold medallist at the 1995 AmeriCup with his national team. A member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, José deserves his place in this list of the best players by nation.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Marvin Everton Davis

Saint Kitts and Nevis has taken part in two Caribbean Championships. In their last appearance in 2006, the team finished last with 5 losses, but one player stood out. Marvin Everton Davis finished top scorer, rebounder, er and interceptor for his team. He even finished as the tournament's fifth-best interceptor. Kareem Queeley, the former Champions League winner, was considered an option. But as he was part of Great Britain's EuroBasket 2022 qualifying squad, although he didn't step onto the hardwood, we decided to exclude him.

Saint Lucia: Joel Polius

Chris Boucher could have been selected, but he decided to represent Canada internationally. Instead, I had to turn to the national team's performance in the pre-qualification phase for AmeriCup 2021. Despite the team's 5 defeats in as many matches, one player stood out in a positive light. Joel Polius was the team's top rebounder, as well as second top scorer, third top er and fourth top stealer. The power forward also played in 2021-22 at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. There, his rebounding talent enabled him to play regularly for them.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Shawn King

Adonal Foyle is the only player born on the archipelago to have reached the NBA. However, we decided to turn to a player who cut his teeth in Europe. Shawn King played in Nancy, Le Havre and Dunkerque, but it was in Eastern Europe that he shone. 2-time MVP of the Slovenian league in 2009 and 2010 and National Cup winner in 2018. MVP in Poland in 2017. Best rebounder in the VTB United League in 2011.

Shawn is a center who also shone with his national team. He was the best rebounder and shot-blocker for the island nation at the 2015 Caribbean Championship, as well as best rebounder and second-best counter overall. He was also the team's second-best interceptor, third-best scorer and fourth-best er during the tournament. You can debate his inclusion and say that Adonal should be there. But in our eyes, he belongs on this list of the best players by nation.

Suriname: Sergio De Randamie

Suriname has only participated in one tournament in its history, the 2015 Caribbean Championship. During the competition, in which the country finished 5th, Sergio De Randamie was by far the team's most important player. Top scorer, er, interceptor and shot-blocker the power forward was also his team's fourth-best shot-blocker. After 4 years at university in Texas, he spent his entire professional career in the Netherlands. Between 2007 and 2022, he was a two-time champion, two-time All-Star and also 6th Man of the Year in 2019. Sergio was an old-fashioned power forward, making his way inside to score or grab rebounds using his strength, fighting spirit and agility. On top of that, he was also adept at reading lines, enabling him to pull off steals.

U.S. Virgin Islands: Raja Bell

The U.S. Virgin Islands are one of the best basketball nations in the Caribbean. Not only are they a dangerous team for a good number of nations on the continent, but they don't even use the best players from their pool for various reasons. Tim Duncan would have been the obvious choice, but he decided to represent Team USA. Nic Claxton one day might take that spot, but in the meantime, our choice is Raja Bell.

Raja is a player who entered the NBA by the back door. Undrafted in 1999, he played for the Continental Basketball Association for one season before ing the Spurs, who eventually cut him without playing a single minute. He finally ed the Sixers at the end of the 2001 season, and was part of the team's rotation that reached the Finals that season, not without controversy.

From then on, his career took off. He played in Dallas and Phoenix, establishing a reputation as one of the league's best defenders. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2007 and Second Team in 2008, thanks to his versatility on that side of the court. Raja was a good athlete and a dangerous 3-pointer. The kind of role player that was perfect for Nash and Stoudemire's Suns. Time will tell whether he'll keep that spot in the future. In the meantime, he earns his place on this list of the best players by nation.

Trinidad and Tobago: Joey Haywood

Trinidad and Tobago won 4 gold and 3 silver medals at the Caribbean Championships during their golden age in the 80s and 90s. Since then, a number of players from the archipelago have made their mark. Joey Haywood is someone who first came to prominence in the parks of Burnaby, Canada. His performances in the world of streetball earned him the nickname "The King Handles" thanks to his impressive dribbling skills... and also a part in the film Air Bud. In high school, Haywood and his friends played in Notic tapes, an underground production company based in Vancouver.  It was thanks to them that he was able to do motion capture for the game NBA Street, released in 2001.

2 selections to the NBL Canada All-Canada Team. 2 NBL All-Star Game selections. He was also twice named the league's best Canadian (even though he represented Trinidad). Second-team All-NBL Canada selection in 2013. NBL Canada All-Defence Second Team selection in 2012. In 2014, he was the leading scorer in the Danish league and All-Star that season before returning to Canada. He also played with Kevin Durant against James Harden in 2013. Durant was even an irer of the point guard's game, acclaiming his mid-range and post play and general scoring ability. Without hesitation, he belongs on this list of the best players by nation.

And so concludes this part. What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Don't hesitate to share your opinions. See you soon in this series on the best players by FIBA nation.