By EFE
07 Nov 2023, 00:32 AM EST
The Mexican Juan Toscano-Anderson, NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, stated that Mexico City is a better place to host a franchise than the American cities of Seattle or Las Vegas in the event of an expansion of the North American professional basketball league.
“I want Orlando and Atlanta to put on a real show here, because if the players and the people of NBA They feel the shouts and the great atmosphere of the Mexicans, they will think that they can bring a franchise to this city, better than in Seattle or Las Vegas”said.
Toscano’s statements come in the run-up to the season match they will play this Thursday Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks at the Mexico City Arena.
Toscano, who will play starting this season with the G-League Mexico City Captains (NBA Development League in this country), stressed his intention to become an ambassador who helps convince the NBA to have a franchise in this city.
“Everyone thinks that Mexico is dangerous and that they don’t have the means to have a basketball team. My job is to be an ambassador that modifies that perception, I want to change the idea that everyone has of Mexico,” she emphasized.
Since 1992, NBA teams have divided their visits to this country with games in Monterrey, to the north, and in the capital, thanks to which the fan base of this league is the largest outside the United States, according to Toscano.
“We cannot lose sight of the fact that this is a business that NBA wants to grow and when it comes to Mexico it is an opportunity for that growth because they have 30 million fans here, That’s not easy, practically no NBA team has that support, perhaps the Lakers. “I want everyone to see that opportunity.”
The 30-year-old player who jumped into paid basketball with the Soles de Mexicali of the National Professional Basketball League from this country shared his desire for Mexican children to dream, but not become obsessed with reaching the NBA.
“Of course I want them to dream, but I want them to know that not everyone is going to be Stephen Curry or LeBron James, but they can be a Juan Toscano. It is very difficult to be a star in the NBA, they play at a level that is out of this world; I felt that pressure, that’s why I want to tell the children to first enjoy this game and then embrace whatever comes.”
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