PUR - Barea hopes to play in the FIBA Americas Championship

DALLAS (2009 FIBA Americas Championship) - Dallas Mavericks guard, Puerto Rican Jose Juan Barea, his going thru his best moment as a player, but hopes to participate in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship in order to keep improving his game.

“During the Summer, I played for Puerto Rico’s national team. The experience allowed me to improve my skills since I had a lot of playing time. I think that I will play in the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico. The team (Mavericks) won't stop it", said Barea to ESPN.

Barea started to gain fame in the Puerto Rican national team by being the leader of the Junior national team in the 2003 World Championships where he averaged 27 points per game. Then Barea led Puerto Rico in the U21 tournaments finishing with the 2005 World Championship.

In the senior level he gave the Gold Medal to Puerto Rico in the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games by scoring a three pointer as time expired in the final against Panama. In 2007 he started playing full time for the national team being one of the stars along with Carlos Arroyo.

His debut in the NBA was in the 2006-2007 season after he was the last player signed by Dallas. Despite being the finalist for the Bob Cousy award, given to the best point guard in the nation, the player was not selected in the NBA Draft. Barea studied and played in Northeastern University.

“The key is to have a lot of patience. You need to have a lot of patience and make the best out of each minute they give you,” said Barea, a native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. “In practice, you have to get better (in front of) coaches every day, before and after. And have patience, as your time will come, and you will make the most of it.”

Since his debut in the NBA, the guard has seen increased playing time. In 2006-2007 he averaged 5.8 minutes per game in 33 appearances, in 2007-2008 increased to 10.5 and this season to 20.3 in 79 games.

Now in the playoffs he averaged 10 points in 4 games in the first round series against the Spurs, starting two of those contests.