FILIPINO basketball players are opting to play overseas. This trend was started by Thirdy Ravena when he signed with San-en NeoPhoenix of the B.League in Japan on June 24, 2020. He is playing as an Asian import for the team.
Following Thirdy’s career trajectory are former UP Maroons Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño. They will be playing for Earth Friends Tokyo Z and Ibaraki Robots, respectively.
While it is a bold move for the career growth of young basketball players, it is considered a threat to the local Philippine Basketball Association.
Kiefer Ravena is facing contract issues with his commitment to the NLEX RoadWarrriors and the Shiga Lakestars. It is not only the first debacle for Filipino basketball players opting to play outside of the PBA.
Even after completing their amateur stints in the UAAP and NCAA, these collegiate players are required to apply and declare availability for the PBA Draft.
Deferring draft availability is equivalent to “draft-dodging,” as they term it. Why was the “draft-dodging rule” instituted in the first place?
As per the PBA, this prevents players from choosing their preferred teams or avoids getting selected by teams the players don’t want to join. Thus, amateur players are obliged to enter the PBA draft to prevent these scenarios.
Much like in the NBA, PBA top picks go to the bottom teams after a season.
However, the similarities end there. NBA prospects know that they have a chance to become the face of the franchise that picks them, even if they end up with the low-market teams on draft day.
In the PBA, top picks eventually end up with the high market teams after two or three seasons with the teams that drafted them. Case in point, CJ Perez. The face of Terrafirma in their last campaign is now with SMB.
Suppose they held on to their picks, starting with Christian Standhardinger. In that case, they have the potential lineup of C-Stand, CJ Perez, and 2021 top pick Joshua Munson for this PBA season.
Incidentally, only Munson is in the fold for Terrafirma this season.
Of course, no team wants to be without a superstar or an assembly of stars. The NBA has its super teams; what would prevent the PBA teams from following suit and assemble their super teams? There is no rule about it. It would only be fair enough to allow amateur prospects to explore other leagues outside the PBA, including playing as imports.
There are still a lot of Filipino basketball players from the countrysides wanting to get into the PBA.