Report: Luis Montero pulls out of FIBA Americas to focus on Trail Blazers

His unlikely NBA dream just months ahead of him, Luis Montero is devoting all his attention to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Montero has withdrawn from the Dominican Republic national team in order to put his time and energy toward his rookie season, Erik Gundersen of The Columbian reports. Originally slated to suit up for his home country for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, which begins next week, Montero will instead head to Portland on Monday to continue preparing for his freshman campaign.

Landing in the United States for the 2013-14 college season at Westchester Community College, Montero found himself without a team in 2014-15, as the school's athletic program shut down. Academically ineligible to transfer to a major college, Montero opted to turn pro, getting a look with Portland at Las Vegas Summer League.

The 6-foot-7 shooting guard averaged 5.2 points and four rebounds in six summer league outings while shooting 34.4 percent from the floor, showing the Blazers enough to earn a three-year deal. That contract was originally reported to be non-guaranteed, but Basketball Insiders reports that the first two years of Montero's deal are actually guaranteed, a rare boon for such an unheralded player.

The 22-year-old won't be expected to contribute meaningful minutes for the rebuilding Blazers this season, but the guaranteed money suggests the team is high on his ultimate potential. He may have to do most of his learning on the bench and practice court, though, as the Blazers are one of 11 teams with their D-League affiliation for 2015-16 up in the air.