Mexican-American Jaime Jáquez Jr., a forward for the Miami Heat, stated on Friday that he would like to continue the legacy of recently deceased pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, as a prominent figure in Mexican sports in the United States.

"I don’t want to compare myself to someone like him; he was an icon with an incredible career. He left an amazing legacy for Mexican sports. I’m just starting out—it's only my second year in the league. I’m just trying to carry on his legacy and make people proud of it," he said ahead of the game between the Heat and the Wizards in Mexico City.

Jáquez, who was born in California to a Mexican father, will be the main attraction for Mexican fans attending the Heat-Wizards game on Saturday at Arena Ciudad de México, the NBA’s 33rd game in Mexico.

"I’m a bit nervous, but nothing I'm not used to. I couldn’t have imagined a setting like this when I started my career, but I'm excited for international games because they help the sport grow worldwide," added the former UCLA player and last year’s NBA All-Rookie Team member.

Known as "Triple J," he reiterated that he has yet to decide whether to play again for Mexico, with whom he competed in the 2019 Pan American Games, or for the United States, which he joined in pre-Olympic training for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"I grew up attending camps hosted by the U.S. national team and later went to the Pan American Games with Mexico. Now, I’ve taken a break from national teams to think carefully about who I should play for and how the fans will respond. It’ll be a personal and family decision, but only when I'm ready to make it. For now, I’m focused on the Heat."

Jaime hopes to put on a good performance tomorrow against Washington, a game that some of his family members living in Mexico will attend.

"I’ve been coming to Mexico since I was little and have had great experiences here. I grew up with my Mexican culture and also with American culture, thanks to my mom, so I have the best of both worlds," said Jáquez.