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One of the greatest Cuban basketball players of all time is the Guantanamo native Raúl Duboy; tall, wiry, with great power in his offense and quick in his movements. He played, depending on the team's needs, between the positions of forward and guard. A player who made the courts of Cuba and the world his own.
Having a small board as the stage for our conversation, I note the first basket: the origins of Raúl Duboy.
First of all, I want to say, Julita, that it is a pleasure for me to talk with one of the best friends I have had in the sports field; it is an honor to share with you the concerns I have had throughout my basketball practice.
I am Raúl Duboy Cumbá, born in the city of Guantánamo on January 2, 1959, son of Félix and María. I began my sports training at the "Pedro Agustín Pérez" school at the age of seven in the specialty of athletics, but due to my height, I was recruited for basketball under the guidance of coaches Luis González Cardona (Wicho) and Alberto Brown (Puli), who led me to step onto the court for the first time at the age of nine.
So, are you from the high-performance pyramid?
Indeed. In Santiago de Cuba, I participated in the first international mini championship, where teams from Canada, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and others competed. I have fond memories of that event because, besides being the first, I had the opportunity to meet the best players of that time in those age groups, and I managed to be the best of the tournament.
Then, I moved on to the EIDE Capitán Orestes Acosta in Santiago de Cuba, and at the age of 11, I participated in an international tournament in Jamaica, where I was also selected as the best player of that event. At 15, I joined the youth pre-selection under the guidance of Ernesto Trujillo.
What a lovely experience that was, as I was with great basketball players at the ESPA Nacional in Havana. Just to illustrate how beneficial that period was for me, with all that I learned and excelled at, I was invited to the national adult pre-selection at the age of 17.
At that moment, I became the youngest player of that generation. Thus, I joined those talented athletes who are Ruperto Herrera (father), Tomás Herrera, Miguel Calderón, Daniel Scott, Lázaro Ortiz, Juan Carlos Roca, and Generoso Márquez, who later, over the years, would become coaches and leaders of the Federation and National Commission of the sport of basketball.
That constitutes the first generation you are referring to..
Yes. From that point on, I lived alongside three historic generations in Cuban and world basketball for 22 years. For two decades, I shared experiences with the crème de la crème of basketball. Basketball was played back then, Julita, and it continued with the second and third generations as well.
Over time, new members would join CUBA, forming a second generation: Roberto Simón, Alfredo Fenti, Basilio Santiesteban, Luis Calderón, Norge Luis Luaces, Ediberto Díaz, Raimundo Uña. Having become an experienced player, I welcomed what constitutes a third generation... and what a generation it is!
Monstrous representatives of Cuban basketball animated the 1990s: Andrés Gibert, Richard Matienzo, Lázaro Borrell, Leonardo Pérez, Judi Abreu, Alberto Maturell, the Herrera brothers, Ruperto Jr. and Roberto Carlos, the Caballero brothers, Ángel, Omar, and Juan Carlos. World-class basketball players!
Which of the three generations had the greatest impact on you?
Counterattack Duboy and score one out of three!
What made me the happiest?... All three! Sharing the court with each of the players I mentioned was an honor. Additionally, being coached by great managers who helped me become who I am today and the legacy I have been able to leave for my children and my family: Carmelo Ortega, Pedro Chappé, Pedro Alfonso, Alejandro Castañeira, Ernesto Trujillo, Ernesto Díaz, Jorge Puente.
The game becomes competitive, and there doesn’t seem to be an advantage for either side…
You had the great opportunity to play in the largest basketball event in Cuba, something that seems will never return: the LSB, Superior Basketball League.
The Major Leagues of that time were truly incredible; something to never forget. We were above baseball in terms of media attention and fan engagement. We had intense and great rivalries: Capitalinos, Orientales, Matanzas; later, Ciego de Ávila joined the festivities, with extraordinary players like Gato Silvestre and Yoan Luis Haití, with whom I would have loved to play.
The fanbase was incredible, the venues were filled with people. I haven't seen anything like it in Cuba since, nor with that level of rivalry and quality. The team mascots: Wolves, Wasps, Buffalos, Lions, Crocodiles supported the back-and-forth across the country of the quintets involved in the competition.
Do you remember any anecdotes from those LSB days?
Uff! A few of them. The venues were ablaze: the “Urgellés” in Santiago, the San Justo Caldera in Guaso, the “Fonst,” and the “Kid Chocolate” in the capital. During one of the matches at this last venue, Trujillo pulled the eastern team out because, after they shouted “Palestinians, Palestinians” at us throughout Central Havana while we were on the bus, a brawl broke out during the game (one of many because those matches were “heated,” there was a great rivalry) during a play involving Roberto “La Piedra” Simón, who was driven to distraction by the crowd chanting “¡chiva prieta!” Hahaha... Now it makes one laugh, but that cost us the match.
I know you have been living in Mexico for a long time, but you should know thatThey demolished the Kid Chocolate Hall to build a hotelThe most productive and well-maintained facility by its workers, where dozens of children and young people from the Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja municipalities went to practice sports, in addition to hosting national and provincial championships in a wide range of disciplines.
It is a shame that unscrupulous individuals have destroyed the joy of the community. Basketball, which, as I mentioned, has at times been on par with baseball during its heyday, lost one of its most treasured venues; not to mention the multitude of young people who competed there or simply went to enjoy themselves in a healthy way.
In Cuba, the facilities are in very poor condition, athletes are neglected, global stars are suffering due to unemployment and lack of support.
Both coaches are asking for a timeout because the game has heated up..
Raúl, you are absolutely right! Currently, there is no talk of basketball, nor are you remembered, those who proudly sweated for the country.
I take pride in being one of the few basketball players, if not the only one, who has participated in all the official events of our sport: Olympic Games, Pan American Games, Central Caribbean Games, Club World Championships, Spartakiades, Friendship Games, Centrobasket..
I was a multi-time national offensive champion (with the highest number of points) and many times the best forward, and... who mentions me, who remembers me? It hurts a lot to see how other countries recognize and applaud me, while in my own no one knows who I am.
You had the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games, the Barcelona 92 ones, and after that, Raúl Duboy disappeared.
Time to record the decisive basket by the Cuban..
Of course. After Barcelona 92, I left Cuba for Mexico. I settled in Querétaro. Since then, I have been working in the State Sports Directorate. Here I have received numerous awards in recognition of my performance, and the most recent one is given to the top representatives of sports in the country. As you can see, I am very grateful to Mexico for giving me what my homeland could not.
Precisely from Cuba, what is your opinion on the current state of sports on the island?
Cuban sports at this moment requires restructuring, updating of coaches, establishing agreements, and opening up to other countries, with exchanges with other nations. Allowing truly the best coaches and athletes to be part of the national teams, regardless of where they live, as they are all Cuban and have the same rights without politicizing sports... Enough already, this is holding us back!
In extra time, Duboy wins the match. The player from Guantánamo grabs the rebound, crosses the court, and without a second thought, executes a spectacular dunkI'm sorry, but there doesn't appear to be any text provided for translation. Please share the text you'd like to have translated
For you, which is the ALL-STAR quintet of Cuban men's basketball?
For me, the ideal quintet of all time: Pedro Chapé as center, forward: Ruperto Herrera, point guard: Tomás Herrera, shooting guard: Leonardo Pérez, power forward: Lázaro Borrell, and I take this opportunity to speak about these incredible players to congratulate Leonor Borrell. I have always said that her level was above other leagues and she is a source of pride for Cuba and the world to have an athlete of her caliber in the Hall of Fame. Sending you a hug, Julita, and a big hug to the people of Cuba, especially to my hometown, Guantánamo.
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