Justine Baltazar admitted that there are a number of B.League Division I teams trying to recruit him.
And those teams are also trying to court him through his Pampanga sports director Alan Trinidad. Trinidad bared on Chooks-to-Go Snowball that at least three B.League teams and an NBL-USA club are trying to get the 6-foot-9 versatile player.
“May nagme-message po sa akin sa Japan pero ‘yung sa US wala po.
“Pero ‘yung coach ko po, baka mayroon sigurong tumawag sa kanya. Wala pa po ako idea doon,” Baltazar shared on PlayItRight TV.
With offers to play overseas, the incoming fifth-year Green Archer is not sure whether he will return to La Salle for the upcoming UAAP Season 84 tournament.
“‘Yun po ‘yung pag-uusapan namin ni Governor Delta [Pineda],” said the 24-year-old native of Pampanga.
Right now, though, Baltazar’s focus is not on playing overseas. Instead, he remains committed to Gilas Pilipinas.
A dominant FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers campaign saw Gilas finish with a 6-0 slate. But the Philippines then went 0-2 in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament-Belgrade.
Safe to say, it left a bitter taste in Baltazar’s mouth.
“Kung ano ‘yung mga weaknesses namin, kailangan pa namin reviewin. Kailangan namin maayos ‘yung mga mali namin pagbalik namin sa bubble,” said Baltazar.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is looking to return to the Inspire Sports Academy for a month-long camp. It will later head to Jakarta for the FIBA Asia Cup proper.
“Doble kayod lang po ulit.”
What made Baltazar commit to Gilas program director Tab Baldwin’s vision is how the American-Kiwi head coach is treating him as both a player and a student.
Meanwhile, for him, the only way to pay Baldwin’s trust on him is to play his heart out.
“Kailangan daw po talaga ako sa team dahil magagamit niya ako sa sistema niya,” he said.
“Maganda ‘yung sistema namin. Basta kailangan lang namin gawin ‘yung pinapagawa ng coaches namin. Kita naman ‘yun sa resulta ng mga laro namin.”
