Sports
Love and basketball: How former pro Pepe Garcia found his second act on Love Island
“I GOT A TEXT!” Chris Seeley shouted the four words which have become synonymous with Love Island before reading a message to the season 7 men in the villa. According to the text, they would be playing a game of 3-on-3 basketball.
The group’s euphoric reaction was swift. They were running, jumping and cheering. “Boys’ day! Boys’ day! Boys’ day!” chants broke out in their confessional. But one Islander, Jose “Pepe” Garcia, had mixed emotions.
It wasn’t due to a lack of confidence in his basketball skills or because he was intimidated by the other team captain, Seeley, who stands at 6-foot-8. After all, Garcia has faced plenty of top athletes as a former professional international basketball player.
An injury — not nerves — caused his reluctance. Garcia told ESPN that he stepped on a nail in the previous challenge, which made it difficult to walk and caused significant bleeding. But that wasn’t going to stop him from playing in this game.
“I’m limping everywhere. So for me, like yeah, I’m excited, but at the same time, I’m like ‘Damn, I can’t even walk,'” Garcia told ESPN last week. “But I was like, it’s good, I’m going, I don’t care. That competitiveness in me came out.”
The game gave the guys a few hours away from the Fiji villa — and set up the second meeting between Garcia and Seeley, who also played professionally overseas. As Garcia later learned from his dad, their first matchup came in high school.
This time around, Garcia scored the first points and nailed a few impressive jumpers, but ultimately, Team Chris won the battle.
“I think the original game was supposed to be to 11 because of my foot,” Garcia said. “And then, of course, like, I was like, now we’re playing at 15, and then I was like, now we’re playing at 21. By the time I got to 21, my sock was full of blood, but I was like, ‘Hey, do we push this to like, 25 or something like that?’
“We just kept wanting to push it and push it.” For a few short hours, the only thing that mattered to Garcia was playing basketball. It all felt familiar.
GARCIA DOESN’T REMEMBER the exact age when he first picked up a basketball, but he remembers when he started taking it seriously: eighth grade. That’s when he joined his first official team, and by high school, he began pushing himself — with a little help.
His freshman year he met coach AC, who would turn out to be an influential figure in his life. Their relationship began with what Garcia thought was a simple offer: Coach AC asked him to come to a workout, free of charge.
Garcia remembers two things about the aftermath of that three- or four-hour session that he still describes as “probably one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done in my life.” One, he was so exhausted afterward that he sat on the floor completely gassed. And two, what coach AC said to him.
“I remember he told me, ‘Probably won’t see you next week, but you did good today,'” Garcia recalled. “Obviously, I found out years later that he says that to everybody, because it is true that 99% of people that do that workout do not come back the next week. As a 13-year-old, 14-year-old kid, that’s not most kids’ mentalities. And, yeah, I went back.”
And he kept going back. By his senior year at Los Alamitos (CA) High School, Garcia averaged 18.8 points and 3.2 assists per game.
Coach AC had experience coaching talents like Landry Fields and other players who went on to professional careers overseas. Leaning on his mentor, Garcia asked what it took to reach those heights, and learned that he didn’t need to attend Kentucky or Duke to have a rewarding basketball career.
There were plenty of other Division I schools to choose from that could serve as the steppingstone to reach his ultimate goal of playing pro. He chose nearby Cal State Fullerton.
“Having people like Kyle Allman Jr. and Khalil Ahmad, these two freaking hoopers that I get to play against every single day, that are just dogs really. I mean — they’re playing at insanely high levels — going against them every single day, it was like, ‘Alright, this is the best steppingstone you could ever ask for.'”
Garcia didn’t see much action on the court, but he stayed with the Titans from 2017-19 before deciding that he wanted to leave and get an agent.
“Being born in Spain, I had the opportunity to go and just play in Spain, not for any professional team; nobody actually called me, like from a specific team. They just said, ‘Hey, we have this thing. We want you to come. We know [you were born in Spain]. We know you don’t count as a Spaniard; you count as an American, but still, we want you to come play,'” he told ESPN.
Garcia took the opportunity and said that after his first experience, he received offers to play for overseas teams. According to Promo Sport, a FIBA certified agency, he played in Spain from 2019-21. And then went on to join Mexico’s Fuerza Regia and Toros Torreón from 2021-2022 — where he averaged 9 points, 1.4 rebounds and shot 35% from the 3-point line. He capped off his career back in Spain in 2023.
He told ESPN that his final season in Spain was “brutal” due to a lingering knee injury from the year prior. The plan was to go back to Mexico and play, but Garcia said that after completing his preseason evaluation, the team owner told him his patellar tendon was “completely dead” and that there was potential of it snapping again.
“And I remember my dad telling me that when I got home, ‘It’s going to end at some point,” Garcia said. “As a kid, you don’t think about it. And the stupid thing that I did was, as a pro athlete, I wasn’t thinking about it either.”
He finally took time to contemplate his future and ultimately decided to call it a career and focus on his next chapter in life as a personal trainer.
Garcia looks back fondly on his time playing overseas. It not only allowed him to live out his dream but also allowed him to find a new hobby he still holds close to him, playing the guitar. But he recognized that there were challenges that came with the lifestyle. From the time changes that affected calling loved ones to missing holidays to struggles in his dating life.
For years, he spent half of his time in Europe or Mexico and the other half at home in Los Angeles, so he dated with the intent to ultimately move on.
“I would try to date people from the States, but again, I’m living in Spain,” he said. “So, it just turned into, you’re talking to people, and it just never goes anywhere. So yeah, it definitely interfered with it all.”
ALL IT TOOK was one viral TikTok video for Garcia to start getting noticed. After one in particular blew up, reality TV shows — including Love Island — began reaching out. He shared the message he received from Love Island to an old college group chat and one of his friends, Ryan, reached out to him separately.
“He tells me, ‘I love Love Island. It’s the best show in the freaking world. If you’re gonna do any reality TV show, you have to do that one. You’ll love it,'” Garcia recalled. “It was like a four-page text, just the longest text I’ve ever had. And I was like, man, you know what? He convinced me to do it.”
The Love Island franchise is no stranger to having athletes appear on the show. Season 7 of LIUSA alone had three in Garcia, Seeley and TJ Palma, who was a part of the University of Tampa’s 2024 DII national championship baseball team.
Garcia, Seeley and the rest of the male contestants bonded over their shared love of basketball throughout the season.
“Every lunch and dinner, there’s a ‘I can beat you 1-on-1,’ or ‘Us three can beat you three, or us five can beat you five,'” he said. “It was just the topic of way too much.”
And the contestants’ wish was the producers’ command. After the group basketball game, the vibes continued to be high. Seeley even went as far as to say in the show’s final family dinner that playing basketball with the guys was “probably the most fun I’ve ever had.”
Garcia and Iris Kendall ultimately finished the dating show in fourth place — however, the two are speculated to no longer be together after they unfollowed each other on Instagram.
The summer still turned out to be life-changing for Garcia. He now has 1.4 million followers on Instagram, had the opportunity to attend the Los Angeles Chargers’ training camp and, most recently, played in the Big3 celebrity game.
“It’s, it’s unbelievable, you know.”
“You know as a kid, it’s like, I wish I could do this for a living,” Garcia said. “Now I get to go and play at the Big3 celebrity game, and I get to go and meet the Chargers and hang out with the guys … So blessed to be able to do all of that, and thankful that I get to do it all.”
When the Big3 reached out to him, he asked his management team if it could make it happen, and it did.
“I got to meet Ice Cube, I met Shaq, I met Mark Cuban, and I met all these people,” he said. “I got to chop it with Ochocinco, who is someone that I looked up to when I was younger. I got to hang out with Dez Bryant and Waka Flocka. It’s like, I mean people that I grew up watching, and now I’m just playing basketball with them on the same court.”
Garcia said there’s still a lot more to come from him as he continues to live out his new dream. But on Monday, Aug. 25, the Love Island Reunion will air, representing the highly anticipated final chapter of this unique experience (at least for now).
There’s bound to be drama and heated discussions, but Garcia was tight-lipped on any potential spoilers. His one-word preview? “Fun.”
Week 1 is finally here and there’s plenty to know about ahead of this weekend. Top 25 matchups will be played, and many freshmen will have the chance to show if they can shine under the bright lights for the first time.
All eyes will be on No. 1 Texas-No. 3 Ohio State as the Longhorns travel to the Horseshoe Saturday. What can we expect to see from Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in Week 1? No. 9 LSU travels to No. 4 Clemson in a tough road matchup to start off the season. While Brian Kelly and LSU have yet to win a Week 1 matchup the past three seasons, will this be the game that changes that? As we look forward to a jam-packed weekend, we take a look back at some of the best quotes of the offseason.
Our reporters break down what to know entering Week 1.
Jump to:
Expectations for Arch and Jeremiah
LSU-Clemson | Freshmen to watch
Offseason quotes
Texas-Ohio State preview
What do we need to see from Arch Manning Week 1?
We can expect Manning to take some deep shots, especially to receiver Ryan Wingo, who Manning has raved about all offseason. The Longhorns weren’t great at stretching the field last season with Quinn Ewers, but whenever Manning got in, he looked to make big plays. Texas’ offensive staffers said this spring they keep reminding Manning that he just needs to keep the offense moving forward and to take the easy throws when he can, especially while breaking in four new starters on the offensive line. Similarly, Manning, who has open-field speed, has been reminded by everyone — including his grandfather, Archie, who liked to run around a little bit — to get down or get out of bounds, and not to drop his shoulder and try to run anyone over. Manning doesn’t have to be “superhuman” or “do anything that is extraordinary,” Steve Sarkisian said on Monday. But a solid performance on the road at No. 3 Ohio State to open the season would set the Longhorns on a national championship trajectory. — Dave Wilson
What can we expect from Jeremiah Smith in his sophomore debut?
Smith noted during Big Ten media days last month that with a year of experience behind him, he expects to play even faster this season. That’s a scary proposition for the rest of college football, considering Smith put together one of the greatest true freshman seasons in college football history, capped with his game-clinching reception that lifted Ohio State to a national championship. The Longhorns were one of the only teams to keep Smith in check last year, holding him to just one catch for three yards. Of course, the attention on Smith allowed Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka to thrive, combining for 12 receptions in the 28-14 Buckeyes win. Still, Smith said he has been waiting for this opportunity to face Texas again. How new quarterback Julian Sayin performs could dictate the quality of Smith’s opportunities. Either way, Smith is primed to put on a show on the big Week 1 stage. — Jake Trotter
What each team needs to capitalize on to win
LSU: Four starters from last year’s starting offensive line were selected in the 2025 NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean LSU was elite up front. The Tigers ranked last in the SEC in rushing offense and mustered just 1.5 yards before contact on dropbacks, ahead of only Vanderbilt. This year’s unit will need to improve dramatically on that clip if LSU wants to contend for a playoff berth and that starts with the opener against Clemson. Clemson’s defensive front, manned by Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, is stout, and new coordinator Tom Allen will have his sights set on making LSU one-dimensional. The key to getting the ground game going will be a youth movement in the backfield led by Caden Durham and five-star freshman Harlem Berry. — David Hale
Clemson: As Hale mentioned, Clemson needs to dominate up front — as much as that sounds like a cliché. LSU coach Brian Kelly said he planned to rotate as many as eight offensive linemen in the opener, which is a nod to team depth, but may not be conducive in the type of environment they will be playing in. Clemson is eager to show that it has vastly improved in its front seven under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who brings a far more aggressive approach with his scheme. That aggressiveness was missing a year ago, as Clemson struggled to stop the run and consistently get after the quarterback with its best pass rushers. Clemson ranked No. 85 against the run a season ago while Penn State, where Allen coached, ranked No. 9. The same can be said on offense, where a veteran offensive line must help Clemson get the ground game going. Cade Klubnik was more effective as a passer last season because the Tigers had balance in their ground game. Converted receiver Adam Randall gets the nod at running back, and true freshman Gideon Davidson is expected to play. — Andrea Adelson
Five freshmen to watch in Week 1
Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan, No. 1 in 2025 ESPN 300
Underwood shook the recruiting world with his late-cycle flip from LSU to the in-state Wolverines last November. Ten months later, ESPN’s top 2025 recruit is set to be the program’s Week 1 starter when No. 14 Michigan hosts New Mexico on Saturday.
Underwood’s elite arm talent, pocket awareness and mobility has impressed the Wolverines’ coaching staff since he arrived on campus in January, as has his accelerated knowledge of the game. The young quarterback will get his first chance to flash that talent alongside fellow Michigan newcomers in running back Justice Haynes (Alabama transfer) and wide receiver Donaven McCulley (Indiana) in Week 1 before Underwood and the Wolverines stare down a much stiffer challenge against an experienced, Brent Venables-led Oklahoma defense on Sept. 6.
Elijah Griffin, DT, Georgia, No. 3 in 2025 ESPN 300
For the first time since 2021, the Bulldogs landed the state of Georgia’s top-ranked prospect in the 2025 cycle, and Griffin already appears poised to be a Day 1 contributor for the No. 5 Bulldogs.
Like many of the elite defensive line talents before him at Georgia, Griffin possesses top-end traits — speed, physicality and SEC-ready size at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds — that have had onlookers drawing comparisons to former Bulldog Jalen Carter throughout the spring and summer. Griffin’s maturity and ability to pick up the defense has also stood out as he vies for snaps along a revamped Georgia defensive line that returns multiple starters from a year ago. Whether or not he starts against Marshall on Saturday, Griffin is expected to play early and often in a significant role within coordinator Glenn Schumann’s defense this fall.
Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon, No. 4 in 2025 ESPN 300
Moore has been one of the nation’s most productive high school playmakers in recent seasons, and his elite speed and playmaking talent are expected to earn him early opportunities this fall as he steps into an unsettled Ducks wide receiver group.
Missing top 2024 pass catchers Tez Johnson (NFL), Traeshon Holden (NFL) and Evan Stewart (injury), No. 7 Oregon is screaming for fresh downfield producers in 2025. The Ducks have plenty of experienced options between Florida State transfer Malik Benson and returners Justius Lowe, Gary Bryant Jr. and Kyler Kasper, but none offer the brand of electricity Moore presents. One of ESPN’s highest-rated wide receiver prospects since 2006, Moore should be an asset for first-year starting quarterback Dante Moore as soon as Oregon takes the field against Montana State on Saturday.
Demetres Samuel Jr., DB/WR, Syracuse, No. 223 in 2025 ESPN 300
Samuel reclassified into the 2025 class to enter college a year early. At just 17 years old, the 6-1, 195-pound freshman is set to feature prominently for the Orange this fall starting with Syracuse’s Week 1 matchup with No. 24 Tennessee on Saturday in Atlanta.
A speedy tackler from Palm Bay, Florida, Samuel has legit two-way potential, and the Orange intends to make the most of it in 2025. Syracuse coach Fran Brown announced earlier this month that Samuel will start at cornerback against Tennessee while also taking snaps at wide receiver, where the Orange are replacing their top two pass catchers from a year ago. With Travis Hunter in the NFL, Samuel stands as one of the most intriguing two-way talents across college football.
Jayvan Boggs, WR, Florida State, No. 284 in 2025 ESPN 300
Boggs joins the Seminoles after hauling in 99 receptions for 2,133 yards and 24 touchdowns in a wildly productive senior season at Florida’s Cocoa High School last fall. Listed as a starter in Florida State’s Week 1 depth chart, he has an opportunity to pick up where he left off in 2025.
Boggs combines a thick build with sudden route running and knack for yards after the catch. Alongside transfers Gavin Blackwell (North Carolina), Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel White (Tennessee), he’s positioned to emerge as a reliable downfield option from the jump within a new group of Seminoles pass catchers around Boston College transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos, starting with Florida State’s Week 1 meeting with No. 8 Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). — Eli Lederman
Notable offseason quotes
“I depend on Depends. … I’m making a joke out of it, but it is real. It is real. It is real. If you see a port-a-potty on the sideline, it is real, I’m just telling you. You’re going to see one at practice, on the sideline [in games].” — Colorado coach Deion Sanders, joking about his cancer recovery.
“But since we’re in Vegas, it seems like the right time to say it, our theme for this team is double down.” — Oregon coach Dan Lanning, on expectations coming off last year’s undefeated regular season.
“We figured we would just adopt SEC scheduling philosophy, you know? Some people don’t like it. I’m more focused on those nine conference games. Not only do we want to play nine conference games, OK, and have the [revised] playoff format [with automatic qualifiers], we want to have play-in games to decide who plays in those playoffs.” — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti on criticism of the Hoosiers’ light nonconference schedule.
“The recent NCAA ruling to not punish players that weren’t involved is correct. However, this ruling also proves that the NCAA as an enforcement arm no longer exists.” — Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, on the sanctions against rival Michigan.
“They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.” — Florida State QB Tommy Castellanos to On3 in June about the opener vs. Alabama.
“I’m 21 so I can do shots at a bar.” — Texas quarterback Arch Manning, joking after being asked about how he has to carry himself in public.
“They can have their opinion. We’re going to handle all that on Aug. 30.” — Clemson DE T.J. Parker on the battle over the stadium nickname “Death Valley” between Clemson and LSU.
“I still have the [Catholics versus Convicts] shirt. I do. It’s well documented that’s as intense if not the most intense rivalry that at that time it felt like the national championship went through South Bend or Coral Gables. Intensity was high, physicality, the edge that game was played with was next level.” — Miami coach Mario Cristobal on the Notre Dame rivalry. Cristobal played in the game and will now coach in it as Miami opens vs the Irish.
“Be delusional … It means no cap on the jar, no limitations, dreaming big. With the College Football Playoff where it is, as Indiana showed last year, anybody can get there. If we’re delusional enough to know we can do that, we can get there … Take the cap off the jar. Limitless.” — Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, speaking at Big Ten media days.
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KARACHI:
Pakistan’s recently announced squad has once again sparked debates among fans and experts alike.
With a mix of youthful talent and bold exclusions, the selection raises an important question: has the PCB finally struck the right balance, or is this another gamble on the big stage?
The PCB confirmed Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming tri-series against UAE and Afghanistan, followed by the Asia Cup 2025. On paper, the side looks fresh, energetic, and hungry to prove itself. Yet, for a tournament of this magnitude—where Pakistan has not lifted the trophy since 2012—the absence of experience looms large.
Since Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win, Sri Lanka have claimed titles in 2014 and 2022, while India dominated in 2016, 2018, and 2023. Pakistan came close in 2022, under Babar Azam’s leadership, but lost the final from a winning position.
A year later, under his leadership, the team crashed out in fourth place. That painful history makes this squad announcement all the more significant.
No two omissions have created more noise than those of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Both were once seen as the backbone of Pakistan’s T20I side, but the stats reveal why the selectors chose a different path.
Babar last played a T20I in 2024, and since that year’s T20 World Cup, he has gone 10 matches — including the mega event — without scoring a single fifty. His strike rate in this period is 118.59 at an average of 26.22.
Rizwan’s case is even worse. In his last 8 T20Is, he managed just 211 runs at a strike rate of 94.19. His knocks of 16 off 26 against Australia, 74 off 62 against South Africa, and 31 off 44 against India in the T20 World Cup were game-changing—but for the wrong reasons.
These numbers show why the selectors felt justified in moving on. For too long, Pakistan’s top order has been accused of playing “anchor cricket” in a format that demands fearless hitting.
In their place, Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Haris bring a refreshing intent. Farhan, with three Player of the Match awards in his last six T20Is, has shown he can deliver under pressure. Haris, too, has the aggressive mindset Pakistan’s batting has been crying out for.
The bowling department looks balanced. Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the attack with form and confidence, having topped the wicket charts in the PSL 10. In contrast, Naseem Shah’s exclusion seems harsh to some fans, but the numbers are telling—an economy rate of 8.01 and an average of 34.68 in T20Is does not inspire confidence. His ODI performances may be solid, but in T20 cricket, he remains costly.
The spin department could prove decisive, especially in UAE conditions. Mohammad Nawaz’s all-round utility, along with Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed, offers flexibility.
Pakistan’s middle order finally shows signs of balance. Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz, and Khushdil Shah are capable of finishing games with power. Yet, the key lies with Salman Ali Agha, the newly appointed skipper. His ability to anchor chases, rotate strike, and handle spin will be vital in UAE conditions. This leadership test could define not just Pakistan’s Asia Cup but also his captaincy career.
Dropping big names like Babar and Rizwan is never easy. For years, they were considered “untouchables” in Pakistan cricket. But cricket is a game of evolution, and their inability to adapt to the modern T20 tempo made this move inevitable.
Pakistan’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 carries the energy of youth, the sharpness of new talent, and a clear intent to play fearless cricket. But the real question remains: will this new look side rise to the occasion, or will inexperience cost Pakistan another shot at silverware?
One thing is certain—all eyes will be on this squad. And if they click, the Asia Cup drought since 2012 may finally come to an end.
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