Panama Names New Basketball Coach

With the arrival of Colón, Panama is once again betting on a Puerto Rican to lead its national team in its quest to reach its fifth FIBA Basketball World Cup. The new Panama coach will face the second qualifying window on the road to Qatar 2027, where the Central American team is in Group D. Additionally, they come off two consecutive losses to Uruguay. With Nelson Colón's arrival, the Panamanian team is once again led by a Puerto Rican, after Flor Meléndez and, a bit earlier, David Rosario held the position. He was later hired by the Santurce Crabbers, also winning the Puerto Rican basketball championship four times. The coach also thanked the Santurce Crabbers for granting permission to coach the Panamanian national team. Colón, who will replace Argentine Gonzalo García in the role, added in his statement, "My focus will be on strengthening the team structure, supporting local talent, and fostering a work structure based on unity, effort, and sporting excellence." In his coaching career, Colón led the Puerto Rican national team from 2021 to 2024. Puerto Rican Nelson Colón has been chosen as the new coach of the Panama basketball team, which must prepare for the next qualifying window on the road to the FIBA World Cup 2027 in Qatar. Panama will have to prepare to visit Cuba on February 26 and Argentina on March 1. "I accept the challenge and responsibility of taking on the position of coach of the Panama basketball team," Colón described in a statement released by the Panamanian Basketball Federation (Fepaba). It should be remembered that the top three teams in the group advance to the next round. Panama won the first match at home 93-69 and the second away 84-82. He coached them at the Paris Olympics and the 2023 FIBA World Cup.