Jordan taps Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as Asian teams beef up FIBA World Cup rosters

MANILA, Philippines – Bunched with arguably the toughest group in the FIBA World Cup, Jordan has tapped a former NBA player for reinforcement.

The Jordan Basketball Federation (JBF) bared on Monday, July 24, that it is processing the naturalization of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for the global hoops tiff that will tip off in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia on August 25.

Hollis-Jefferson, who played for the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Portland Trail Blazers over a six-year NBA stint, currently trains with the Falcons in Lithuania.

“[T]he player showed harmony during training with the Falcons players,” the JBF wrote on Facebook.

Hollis-Jefferson won the first title of his professional career a couple of months ago when he guided TNT to the PBA Governors’ Cup title in April.

Also earning the Best Import honors, Hollis-Jefferson helped the Tropang Giga become the first team to beat Barangay Ginebra in a conference finals with resident Gin Kings import Justin Brownlee on board.

If his naturalization pushes through, the 28-year-old will be tasked to do some heavy lifting for Jordan in the deadly Group C that features the United States, Greece, and New Zealand.

Jordan – ranked No. 33 in the world – is the only Asian team bundled with two top 10 nations in No. 2 USA and No. 9 Greece. New Zealand is no pushover at No. 26.

Aside from Jordan, other countries from the continent are beefing up their lineups as the best-placed Asian squad in the World Cup will clinch an outright Paris Olympics berth.

China on Monday announced the naturalization of Kyle Anderson, with the Minnesota Timberwolves forward set to debut for the Team Dragons in the World Cup.

Gilas Pilipinas also secured the commitment of Jordan Clarkson as the Utah Jazz star is expected to join the squad in the first week of August. – Rappler.com