José Juan Barea’s Son, Sebastián, Follows in His Basketball Footsteps

Sebastián Barea still vividly remembers the atmosphere in the Dallas Mavericks locker rooms when his father was part of the franchise. He clearly recalls the imposing height of legendary figures like Dirk Nowitzki, perhaps the most lasting impression from his childhood spent within that environment.

Basketball runs in his blood. His father, José Juan Barea, played 14 seasons in the NBA, 11 of them with the Mavericks, where he won a championship in 2011. He is considered one of the greatest Puerto Rican players in history and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets.

Now, at just 14 years old and in the eighth grade at San José School in Río Piedras, Sebastián is beginning to forge his own path in the sport. While he’s still unsure if he’ll follow directly in his father’s footsteps or pursue a different career, his dedication to basketball is undeniable.

“Sebastián is a child with impressive motor skills,” says Zuleyka Rivera, Sebastián’s mother, after a game at San José School. “He was walking at eight months old and it was amazing to see him even grabbing the ball at two years old. He positioned his hands professionally, which impressed me a lot.”

Rivera shared that Sebastián first honed his skills with the Tamiami Basketball club in Westchester, Florida. Even without fully understanding the rules or the concept of time, he immediately demonstrated a talent for scoring, mirroring his father’s ability. “He had the fundamentals and the skills. He started taking it more seriously and polishing himself a lot more. I like that he plays basketball because the sport teaches you a lot of discipline and helps you socialize. Now this has become his passion,” Rivera added.

Sebastián himself emphasizes the advice his father consistently imparts: to enjoy the game above all else whenever he steps onto the court. It’s a philosophy he’s embraced in recent years, both in the United States and now in Puerto Rico. He wants to know if his passion for basketball is the same as the day he first shot a ball into a hoop.

“My dad always tells me to enjoy the game. If things go wrong, just keep going,” Sebastián said.

After spending much of his life in Florida, Sebastián moved to the island with his mother last year. One of his goals was to join the San José School’s youth team and compete in the Top Ranked Buzzer Beater tournament, running from February 27th to March 29th at the Fernando “Rube” Hernández Coliseum in Gurabo.

“It’s going to be great to play there. I’ve never played in this tournament, so it will be a new experience for me,” Sebastián stated. “He had talked a lot about Buzzer Beater. It’s something that has always caught his attention. He’s finally going to get to participate,” Rivera added.

Martín De León, the coach of San José’s youth team, describes Sebastián as a scorer with a knack for putting the ball in the basket. He possesses the ability to score from all areas of the court, though he currently relies more on his jump shot. However, he is still adapting to the more systematic style of Puerto Rican basketball, while De León works on transitioning him from shooting guard to point guard – the position where his father excelled throughout his career.

“He is a player who scores the ball,” De León explained. “In Puerto Rico, at this age we are more systematic and that is something he is still getting used to… He has a lot of skill. Right now we use him as a shooting guard, but we want him to make a transition so he can play as a point guard.”

De León further elaborated on the skills Sebastián is developing. “He knows what the defense allows his teammates and himself to do – those are the reads of the game that we are trying to teach him.”

The pressure to live up to the Barea name is undeniable, but Sebastián appears to be embracing the challenge. He’s not just relying on inherited talent; he’s actively working to refine his skills and adapt to the demands of the Puerto Rican game. As he prepares for his first Top Ranked Buzzer Beater tournament, Sebastián Barea is taking the first steps in what could be a promising basketball career, carrying on the legacy of his father and inspiring a new generation of Puerto Rican basketball fans.