ISTANBUL (Türkiye) - Hurricane Maria caused massive damage to Puerto Rico in 2017. The natural disaster at the same time provided Felipe Quinones the opportunity to become one of the country's future star prospects and one of the most exciting players at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024.
Quinones' importance was not lost on Puerto Rico's opening opponent Spain, who focused on slowing him down. He ended up scoring just four points on eight shots but did dish out four assists in an 89-63 loss.
The guard is the youngest player on the Puerto Rico team, but he is also the team's experienced one, having played at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024 in early June. Quinones appeared in all six games and contributed 2.8 points and a team-high 3.2 assists per game for a Puerto Rico team that finished seventh.
“It was a great experience for me ... It was a preparation for me for the (FIBA U17) World Cup. I embraced the opportunity and I was thankful. I think I got better," said Quinones, who, as a 2008-born player, is actually eligible to play in the U18 AmeriCup in 2026 as well should Puerto Rico qualify.
"Just being more of a point guard. Getting more people involved. Things I can bring here. I want to get more people involved because we have great scorers, good shooters, people who I can dump the ball off to and can dunk it. That's what helped me."
Quinones led Puerto Rico in scoring at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2023 and head coach Eddin Santiago knows his team really counts on the youngster.
"He has a lot on his shoulders because he basically carries the whole Puerto Rico team on his shoulders. He's our main guy and we all know that. We need him to be the way he's always been. He's been great for us," the coach said before the tournament.
Santiago said Quinones' future is bright, as long as he continues to work.
"He's very important. He's been with us (the federation) since he was 14. As long as he keeps working as hard as he always has and he keeps going to school and working on his strengths and basketball abilities the future is unlimited. He has a great future ahead of him but it all depends on him."
A major reason for Quinones' development has been his two seasons with IMG Academy in Bradenton, Floria. The elite high school program in recent years has developed future NBA players such as Josh Green, Taurean Green, Jonathan Isaac and Keyonte George.
Quinones has been in Florida since 2017 - since Hurricane Maria caused about 90 billion dollars in damage to Puerto Rico.
"I remember where I was, what time I was, I remember everything. But I was also little and I didn't know any better, I just went with it and made the best out of it," said Quinones, who was 9 years old back then.
Quinones and his mother moved to Orlando, where his mom's aunt had an apartment with two bedrooms. His father meanwhile remained in Puerto Rico for work before joining the family in the United States less than a year later.
(Quinones) has a lot on his shoulders because he basically carries the whole Puerto Rico team on his shoulders. He's our main guy and we all know that." - Puerto Rico head coach Eddin Santiago
"We moved in there and just made it work. It was a little rough without my dad but it is just part of life. That is when you become a man. I was the only male at the apartment," Quinones remembered. "We just embraced it. It was a new opportunity for me to move to the US for basketball, for everything."
Quinones saw the positive from the horrible situation with the hurricane.
"If it wasn't for that I wouldn't be where I am now," he said.
And Puerto Rico might not have one of their next leaders for the future.
FIBA