Akhuetie shows up at La Salle practice, remains non-committal to suitors

Bright Akhuetie has made it known that he is a “free agent”

After Ateneo advanced to the finals Wednesday evening, the De La Salle University Green Archers took over the hard courts of the SMART-Araneta Coliseum for a three-hour practice session. A surprise guest though was sitting in the audience of the private practice: former Perpetual Altas big man Bright Akhuetie.

“I thought I could still watch the game,” the 6-foot-6 Nigerian student-athlete quipped.

When asked about where is transferring, Akhuetie simply shrugged, saying that he has yet to commit to a school.

“I’m still a free agent.”

And he might be entertaining an offer from De La Salle University.

Akhuetie led the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas to a fourth place finish during his second-year of duty last season. He posted norms of 18.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.

However, controversy struck Perpetual a week prior to the Final Four. The 20-year-old had an altercation with Perpetual assistant coach Nic Omorogbe that led to a school-sanctioned one-game suspension. Though Akhuetie stated that it’s water under the bridge, the incident fueled his departure from Perpetual according to a source.

If the first-ever foreign NCAA All Star MVP decides to transfer to a UAAP school by 2017, he will serve a one-year residency. He will only be eligible to play in the league during the 81st season of the league.