PUR – Things Heat-ing up as Puerto Rico look into Haslem, Beasley

SAN JUAN (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Puerto Rico are looking into the possibility that Miami Heat duo Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem may have the potential to play for the national team.

Puerto Rico Basketball Federation president Carlos Beltran said to Nuevo Dia on Wednesday: "We received information, unofficially, that the two allegedly have a grandparent, possibly grandmothers, who are Puerto Ricans.

"If this information is confirmed, we are looking to see if they would be legally eligible to play for Puerto Rico."

One of Puerto Rico's most famous players, Carlos Arroyo, is the starting point guard for Miami.

Beltran is a long way away from knowing if the pair will represent the country, possibly as early as this summer at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

"This is a multi-part process," Beltran said.

"On one side you have to confirm that they are eligible.

"On the other, you have to see if they will want to play for Puerto Rico.

"Then on the other hand, you would have to deal with their agents.

"So we cannot say that this will happen. Give it time to time to see if anything happens."

Beltran didn’t say where the information had come from.

Puerto Rico qualified for the FIBA World Championship last summer.

They will take on Greece, Ivory Coast, Russia, China and hosts Turkey in Group C.

FIBA