Menzies helps Jamaica make history at FIBA World Cup Americas Pre-Qualifiers
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
Scoring their first points at the senior international level and learning from veteran teammates would be enough to make any player's summer unforgettable. For former Humber Hawks guard Jalen Menzies, they all were. But rushing to renew his passport and representing his family's heritage were just as important as the on-court milestones.
Menzies helped Jamaica make history by advancing to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers. This marks the first time the country has ever reached this stage of international competition.
The former Hawk appeared in all three games at the Pre-Qualifiers in Mexico, where Jamaica defeated Barbados (101-79) and Costa Rica (80-76) before falling to Mexico (61-90). The 2-1 record was enough to secure Jamaica's spot and put the nation on the basketball map.
At Humber, Menzies piled up accolades: joining the CCAA 1,000 career points club, reaching the 300-point club in a single season, earning CCAA All-Canadian honours and being named OCAA Championship MVP are just some of them. But representing Jamaica carried a deeper meaning.
"Now I've played on a senior men's national team, represented a country and an island that is not known for basketball, and I was a part of changing the tide," Menzies said. "It means a lot to my family and friends, and I represent them whenever I get an opportunity to play on any team."
But that experience almost did not happen. Menzies had last played for Jamaica as a junior, but had been out of the program for years. When the call came this summer about joining the senior squad's open tryouts, he realized his passport had expired.
Weeks later, after connecting with the head coach, he learned the team was still looking to fill a guard spot. With no guarantees, Menzies flew to Florida to train and practice with the squad. Just two days before the team left for Mexico, he was told he had made the final roster.
And the passport?
One of the team managers, Anabella Seaga-Mian, had worked tirelessly for months to secure passports for players, and when news came that Menzies' passport would arrive in time before the opener, she broke down in tears.
"It was tears of joy. It showed me how much it meant to them, and it put everything into perspective for me," Menzies said, pausing as he grew emotional. "When you see the effect that it can have, not just on your life but on everyone else's life, you want to go out there and represent any and everyone who had a part in this."
The passport arrived the day before the opener.
In Jamaica's opening win over Barbados, Menzies had more than 11 minutes on the court. Against Costa Rica, he scored his first senior international points before adding six more against Mexico. And while those baskets were a proud moment, he kept his perspective.
"I'm a basketball player. I expect to score when I get in the game," Menzies said.
The tournament was more than just an international basketball experience. Training with professional athletes, including former Toronto Raptors guard and NBA champion Norman Powell, gave Menzies a firsthand look at the preparation, work ethic and mindset it takes to play at the highest level.
He recalled a moment with Powell during the Costa Rica game. Early in the shot clock, in a pick-and-roll play with Powell, Menzies gave up the ball.
"He yelled at me, but I didn't hear what he was saying because it was loud in the arena," Menzies said. On a dead ball, Menzies asked Powell what he had said. Powell told him to keep the ball, that the team wanted it in Menzies' hands.
"That meant a lot to me because a world-renowned player, an NBA champion, trusted me with the ball," Menzies said. "My teammates had trust in me, the best player on the court had trust in me, I needed to have that confidence in myself and not let them down."
In the final game against Mexico, Menzies came in early in the second quarter and quickly cashed in six points. Afterward, teammate Kentan Facey, a former UConn NCAA champion, approached him.
"You changed the game when you got in, and I would go to war with you any day because I like players that play like you," Facey said.
"Nobody on my team knew where I came from, but to see that I was able to gain some respect from those guys, that meant a lot to me," Menzies said.
For Menzies, wearing the Jamaican jersey brought more than just on-court experiences. A grandchild of Jamaicans, he said it means the world to represent a country that so many people in his life can connect to.
"Whenever I put on that jersey, I think of my grandfather, my grandma, I think of my aunts and uncles, all my family and friends that we bonded by coming from the same culture," Menzies said.
Having finished his collegiate career with Humber last season, Menzies now looks ahead to new opportunities.
And if the Jamaican squad invites him back to the World Cup qualifiers, he now has the experience and mindset to compete on the international stage — and the passport.
