After some hiccups, the PBA board of governors has finally agreed to lend some of its players to Gilas Pilipinas in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia this August.
The league initially found it difficult, as lending players will delay the league’s flow for about one and a half months, but just like any other issue, the board found ways to resolve things.
And their idea is to send the core of flagship Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise TNT Katropa and a player from the Alaska Aces to join four Cadets and naturalized center Andray Blatche on the national team.
“They (board) decided that the most competitive among the selection was the core team of Talk ‘N Text,” said chairman Ricky Vargas during a press conference after the board’s meeting on Thursday.
“So when we saw the composition, we said that ‘wow, this is probably competitive.'”
According to Vargas, the idea was born due to the board’s desire to field a competitive line-up to the quadrennial sporting event, where the Philippines lasted tasted a medal in 1998.
With this development, the projected line-up would have Blatche and the likes of Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, and either Calvin Abueva or Carl Bryan Cruz.
The veteran internationalists will likely share the court with up-and-coming stars in J-jay Alejandro, Kobe Paras, Troy Rike, Abu Tratter, and Kai Sotto.
The concept of having a core of a PBA team on the national team has already been used back in 1994, when the core of then-Philippine Cup champions San Miguel Beer played in Hiroshima, Japan.
That team featured six SMB players and six players from Purefoods, and some players from the PBL.
Vargas made it clear, however, that the PBA and SBP still have to iron things out for their decision. But some, such as Gilas head coach Chot Reyes, like the idea, said Vargas.
“He’s excited.”
