Questions have arisen for Indonesia on who will play in its naturalized position spot after the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Lester Prosper has played in Indonesia’s last four games in the Qualifiers, which resulted in their only two wins for the tournament.
Then there’s former Cleveland Cavalier Marques Bolden, whose naturalization is being processed.
Both Bolden and Prosper stand at 6-foot-10, but the former is nine years younger.
Prosper’s edge over Bolden is that he already knows Rajko Toroman’s system. Prosper averaged 22.0 points and 11.0 boards in the Qualifiers.
“I’ve said how Lester was playing in this tournament, but also we have to see how Bolden will fit us. We still haven’t decided on who will play in FIBA Asia because, first of all, Marques still hasn’t gotten his passport. When he gets it, that’s when we will decide about who will join us for the FIBA Asia Cup,” said Toroman after their 86-69 win over regional rival Thailand, Sunday.
“Lester has been with us for a long time, and he knows our system and how we are playing. He helped us, but also Bolden [is] playing in the G League and coming from Duke. We were just practicing a few time[s] before we left. We will look at how he understands the system.”
But Toroman has assured Prosper that he will be part of his program even if Bolden gains his naturalization.
“At the end of the day, we will decide. Lester will stay with us, it doesn’t matter if Marques is there. We will make a decision before FIBA Asia.”
