Every day while practicing with the Puerto Rico Senior National Team, Fordham’s Chris Gaston gets to test himself against NBA players like Renaldo Balkman and J.J. Barea.
“They’ve taken me under their wing,” the 6-foot-7 Gaston told SNY.tv by phone from San Juan. “I hang out with Renaldo [a former Knick] every day. I always ask him questions and stuff. He’s been in the league for a couple years. He’s been like a big brother to me.”
Gaston, a rising senior at Fordham, is one of several American college players trying out for a spot on the Puerto Rico Senior National Team that hopes to compete this summer in the London Olympics. Florida’s Mike Rosario and UConn’s Shabazz Napier are among the others.
“I’m loving being out here,” said Gaston, 23. “I’m just growing up as a person, being in a whole new area, whole new place I’ve never been before. I’m away from the country. I’m away from my family so I’m becoming more of a man.”
Gaston, who was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and Second Team All-Met in 2011-12, led Fordham in both scoring and rebounding for the third straight year, averaging 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds.
He said he hopes to make the Puerto Rico team as a three-man and believes he has a shot.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll get moved to the three,” he said. “I have a good shot of making it at the three.”
Gaston, who played at both St. Anthony and St. Benedict’s before arriving at Fordham, said it’s always been a goal of his to play for Puerto Rico.
“I’ve been going hard every day,” he said. “I’ve been so tired and I’ve been working hard this summer. This is something I always wanted to do since I was young, to play for my country. I think it would be great for my sechool, for my family.”
While he was in Puerto Rico, Fordham extended the contract of head coach Tom Pecora through the 2016-7 season, and Gaston was happy to hear the news.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “The program is moving in the right direction. More kids are going to try to come to our school and try to come to win.
“That’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to build a program.”
