MIAMI (United States) – Carlos González has been appointed as the new head coach of the Puerto Rican national team, the country's basketball federation announced. González will replace Nelson Colón, who resigned weeks ago after leading the Puerto Rican team to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games 2024, following their victory in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico. González, who has signed an agreement until 2027, has been serving as Colón's assistant coach on the national team for the past three years. His new role aims to provide continuity to the ongoing project.
"It's an honor for me. This is every coach's dream. What you seek as a player or coach is to be at the highest level in the country, and the national team is that place. I had the opportunity to be here for the past three years. It was an unforgettable experience. We grew a lot, we learned, we went to special places and achieved special goals like qualifying for the World Cup and the Olympics. The team already has a culture, a style. We want to keep Puerto Rico's level at that top status and continue improving as much as possible. That's our responsibility," said González during his presentation at an event held by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. In his professional career, González has accumulated three titles in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional de Puerto Rico (BSN), the country's premier league. His first came in 2017 with Piratas de Quebradillas, then in 2019 with Santeros de Aguada, and his most recent was in 2023 with Gigantes de Carolina. He is scheduled to make his debut as national team head coach in the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers' second window. Puerto Rico will visit the United States and Cuba on November 22 and 25, respectively. FIBA