San Miguel won’t be going with Bennie Boatwright in its redemption tour in the upcoming PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup–for now, perhaps.
The Beermen have tapped the services of 6-foot-11 Marcus Lee, as they’re also taking advantage of the unlimited height for imports in the midseason tilt.
Team manager Gee Abanilla confirmed early Monday morning that the 31-year-old forward is now headed to Manila and will be joining the team very soon.
“Finally got confirmation that Marcus Lee boarded his flight and is on his way here,” Abanilla told Tiebreaker Times. “Yes, we are going with Marcus Lee.”
Lee is flying in from Australia as he’s fresh off a stint with the Cairns Taipans in the NBL, which just wrapped up its regular season last February 20.
He’s been a veteran of the said league, having played there four times, as he previously suited up for the Melbourne United and the Tasmania Jackjumpers.
The former Kentucky Wildcat and California Golden Bear has been a pro since 2018, with stints in the G League, Italy, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Poland.
Soon, he’ll be playing in Asia for the first time with SMB, who’s looking to reclaim glory in the midseason joust after missing the playoffs last season.
It could be recalled that San Miguel struggled in that tilt as it couldn’t find the right reinforcement with Boatwright unavailable due to an Achilles injury.
The 6-foot-10 former USC Trojan steered the Beermen to the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup title at the expense of Tyler Bey and Magnolia.
Four imports were brought in, but the team only went 5-7, ultimately failing to advance for the first time since the 2015 edition of the same conference.
Boatwright, a candidate for Filipino naturalization, has healed up since and is now in the KBL in Korea, suiting up for Daegu KOGAS Pegasus.
That’s why San Miguel opted to look elsewhere and found Lee, with the hope, of course, that he’d fit well enough with June Mar Fajardo & Co.
The Beermen are looking to win their second straight crown this season after a mighty conquest of the Philippine Cup in which they beat TNT anew.
