Lester Prosper regrets missing the chance to play for Indonesia in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers’ first window.
The former Columbian Dyip import in the PBA should have suited up for Timnas as its naturalized player, but could not finish his naturalization process in time for the contest.
“My passport process is late, that’s why.
“People involved have been working diligently towards getting my passport, but sometimes things don’t fall the way we want it,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
With that, the Indonesians will play with an all-local lineup — led by veterans Arki Wisnu, Kevin Sitorus, and Abraham Grahita — in its games against South Korea and Gilas Pilipinas.
This is not the first time that the Rajko Toroman-mentored Indonesia will play without Prosper since he arrived there late last year as a replacement for fellow PBA import Denzel Bowles.
The Indonesians were without him in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila last December, as Prosper failed to get clearance. They lost to an all-PBA Gilas in the semis before finishing fourth.
Prosper had been really excited to play this window, especially versus Gilas. He would have played against some of those he had encountered in the PBA — especially his Dyip teammate CJ Perez.
“It would have been great to battle against my teammate [CJ] Perez and also Troy Rosario, Dwight Ramos, and Thirdy Ravena as well — the young ones,” the 31-year-old from Miami said.
It is tough for him to sit this one out, but Prosper looks forward to the Asia Cup Qualifiers’ second window in November, in which he hopes that his naturalization is complete.
“I was looking forward to playing against Korea and some of the young guns from the Philippines. But, hey, I guess I have to wait until the second window.”
