ANTIPOLO — Bennie Boatwright feels excited to begin his naturalization process now that he’s back in Manila to reinforce San Miguel in the PBA anew.
The former USC Trojan is in the country to reprise his import duties with the traditional powerhouse in the ongoing Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, and his return also means getting the wheels rolling on his bid to become Filipino.
“Looking forward to it,” he told reporters Sunday on the heels of their 98-94 escape against NLEX at the Ynares Center here for a triumphant return.
“I think we have, like, one more hearing in the Senate, and I think I should be good to go after that,” the 6-foot-10 winger added.
“It’s nice that I’m here.”
The 29-year-old’s naturalization process was actually launched back in April 2024 when then-Senator Sonny Angara filed Senate Bill No. 2646, but it faced several delays due to political turmoil and the midterm elections.
(C) SBP
It didn’t help either that he suffered an Achilles injury in August of that same year and required surgery, causing him to stay at home in the States for a while.
But he has since fully recovered. A public hearing for his citizenship bid was, in fact, scheduled last March by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, but was deferred to a later date due to his being a no-show.
Boatwright, at the time, was still fulfilling his obligations with the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the ongoing 2025-26 Korean Basketball League season.
As fate would have it, though, he and the club failed to reach the playoffs. That expedited his return to SMB after the franchise parted ways with Justin Patton in a messy split-up as the ex-NBA cager went AWOL.
The Los Angeles-native flew into the country earlier this week, bringing renewed hope for a Beermen crew hoping to get its groove back with the very same reinforcement that led them to the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup crown.
Fast forward to Sunday, and that’s exactly what happened. Boatwright willed his team to a 98-94 come-from-behind victory, dropping 41 points and 11 rebounds, leading a strong windup toward snapping a two-game losing slide.
“It feels good to be back home,” expressed the former G League campaigner. “I’m just excited to be playing with the guys, and it’s like I never left.”
But it’s just not SMB who should be happy with his comeback, with Gilas standing to benefit now that their top naturalization candidate is here in the flesh.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“I keep that in mind every day while I’m training, just preparing. I think it’s a really good opportunity. I’m grateful for it.”
