KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s national basketball team is set to commence its FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers campaign with a significantly altered roster, as the country’s premier NBA talents remain unavailable for selection. In their absence, the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) has secured the services of Kofi Cockburn, a 26-year-old center currently competing with the Hiroshima Dragonflies in Japan’s professional league.
Standing at seven feet tall, Cockburn brings a formidable presence to the paint. The Jamaican-born athlete developed his skills at St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) before relocating to New York. He subsequently achieved collegiate stardom at the University of Illinois, where he earned two-time All-American honors—one of the highest individual accolades in US college basketball.
Paulton Gordon, President of JABA, confirmed to Observer Online that regulatory restrictions prevented the inclusion of NBA players during this qualification window. “NBA players are not allowed to play in this window. They are not released from their teams,” Gordon stated. “The majority of our players are playing in Europe and Asia.”
Gordon expressed enthusiasm about Cockburn’s inclusion, noting: “We are excited to have Kofi join the group. He was a standout player in the NCAA before he went to play professionally in South Korea and then Japan. Kofi is a dominant centre who will add steel and purpose to the team in the quest to establish Jamaica as a regional basketball powerhouse.”
The complete Jamaican roster features: Joel Bailey, Drew Thelwell, Marcus McDonald, Omari Johnson, Jordan Kellier, Kentan Facey, Romaine Thomas, Chase Audige, Kofi Cockburn, Tyran DeLattibeaudiere, Giovanni Fraser, and Romario Gill.
Drawn into Group B alongside Canada, The Bahamas, and first opponents Puerto Rico, Jamaica faces intense competition for a berth at the 2027 FIBA World Cup. The qualification pathway includes critical home fixtures against The Bahamas on February 26 and Canada on March 1.
However, Jamaica faces infrastructural challenges in hosting these matches. The national federation is racing against time to upgrade facilities to meet FIBA’s stringent requirements. Mandatory improvements include installation of a new scoreboard, replacement of basketball hoops, enhanced broadcast-quality lighting, plus dedicated spaces for visiting teams, media personnel, and doping control operations.
The Americas Qualifiers feature four groups:
– Group A: United States, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua
– Group B: Puerto Rico, Canada, Bahamas, Jamaica
– Group C: Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile
– Group D: Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, Cuba