On Tuesday, the PBA fined TNT KaTropa assistant coach Tab Baldwin P 75,000, alongside a three-game suspension for issuing statements ‘detrimental to the league’.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas 5-on-5 program director irked the league for his remarks on officiating and import policies, which he made in Tiebreaker Vodcasts’ Coaches Unfiltered last week.
In the podcast, the outspoken mentor said that PBA’s single-import conference is a “big mistake”.
Baldwin, who coached New Zealand in the 2004 Athens Olympics, also said PBA coaches are “tactically immature” and accused the PBA referees of giving all of the rules latitude to imports.
Baldwin, though, had already aired his side through a Zoom meeting with Commissioner Willie Marcial and other league officials on Monday, a meeting which he personally sought.
The Ateneo de Manila University head coach said he gave his commentary when asked “what surprised me when I first came to the Philippines“, and that his comments were taken out of context.
Marcial, in a phone call to Tiebreaker Times on Monday evening, said that Baldwin has already apologized for his comments that caused uproar especially among Filipino coaches.
The league chief added that Baldwin is ready to accept whatever decision the league will come up with.
Marcial also shared that he suggested that Baldwin issue a statement addressing all who have been offended, though it will all depend on the American-Kiwi mentor if he will do so.
Those who have denounced Baldwin’s comments were SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao, NorthPort chief mentor Pido Jarencio, and Letran coach Bonnie Tan.
The Basketball Association of the Philippines, headed by JRU coach Louie Gonzales, had also expressed disgust. It even issued two separate statements to strongly oppose Baldwin.
SBP president Al Panlilio, meanwhile, distanced himself and the federation from the former Gilas coach’s comments.
