Filipino basketball fans will be denied seeing one of the most exciting NBA guys right now in action at the FIBA Basketball World Cup as New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has been ruled out.

ESPN's Andrew Lopez reported on Thursday night that Alvarado, a part of the Puerto Rico national basketball team, is not joining the team on its flight to Quezon City for the World Cup because of a shin injury.

Lopez said that the Pelicans “wanted him to sit for precautionary reasons as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his tibia that cost him the final part of the season.” Alvarado went to Instagram and posted a heartbroken emoji in his story as captured by Lopez:

Jose Alvarado suffered the injury last February and missed the remainder of the season. He was cleared to return to practice in April, but he was eventually ruled out of the play-in tournament.

Despite playing off the bench, Jose Alvarado quickly became a household name due to his sneaky steals, earning the moniker “Grand Theft Alvarado.”

During the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, however, he proved that he too can be explosive offensively, tallying 20 points against the United States and 22 against Mexico in an overtime win.

Puerto Rico is grouped with South Sudan, Serbia, and China in Group B for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Their games will be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the home of the 1978 World Cup.