There’s room for undersized Pinoys in NBA

NEW YORK CITY — National Basketball Association (NBA) senior vice president of game-related operations Stu Jackson said recently there is room for undersized Filipino players in the league.

In a STAR interview, Jackson noted its understandable why NBA teams are attracted to athletic big men from Asia like 7-5 Yao Ming, 6-11 Menke Batere and 6-11 Wang Zhizhi.

But Jackson left the door open for the little big men.

For a small guy to make it to the NBA, he’s got to be blessed with at least two dominating skills, he said. "He could be an exceptional outside shooter with great athletic quickness. He could be big for his position and as a guard, could have dominating low post skills. If he’s outstanding in some skills, he’s got a chance to break into the NBA. You must also consider the players he’ll be up against."

Jackson said he knows how popular basketball is in the Philippines it’s an open secret," he continued. "Sure, I know about Philippine basketball, about imports who go to play in the Philippine league then jump to the NBA like Ansu Sesay, Sean Lampley and Tremaine Fowlkes. I understand the Philippine league is well-organized and quite developed."

Jackson said he couldn’t accompany NBA commissioner David Stern during the recent Japan games. "Two of my staff went but I couldn’t leave the office because our season just started," he added.

It was during the Japan games between the Seattle SuperSonics and the Los Angeles Clippers when Stern and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala talked about the possibility of Filipino cagers trying out for NBA teams. Eala said he thought of Red Bull’s Willie Miller and Alaska’s Mike Cortez.

Jackson, 47, said in the NBA, the Board of Governors approves policies in the league’s best interests. "Policies, rule changes and important issues are always discussed and taken up for approval at the Board level,"he explained. "We’re in a competitive business and we understand the Governor’s priority is to win a championship for their franchise. But that is never a stumbling block to deciding on issues that relate to the league’s best interests."

Jackson said he determines the fines and penalties of league offenders. "I don’t summon the offenders all the time and the penalties are often meted out by team officials but in the case of habitual violators, sometimes I have to step in, he said.

"There are no specific guidelines on penalties or fines. We do it on a case to case basis. In Jerry Sloan’s case, he was suspended seven games for making physical contact with a referee. In Rasheed Wallace’s case, he was also suspended seven games for threatening an official after a game. The suspensions are without pay so they’re like fines."

Aside from overseeing the NBA’s basketball operations, Jackson is also the USA Basketball Senior National Team Committee chairman responsible for assembling the lineup for the World Championships and the Olympics.

"We usually provide for a slot or two in the lineup for amateur players but it’s not always the case," he said. "In 1991, NBA players were allowed to play for the US in international competitions under the aegis of USA Basketball (USAB) of which the NBA is a constituency. There is a cooperative relationship within USAB. There is no problem of turf. There is no political agenda. We’re in it for a common purpose — to win the gold."

Jackson said Stern’s globalization campaign was meant to establish the NBA as the league where the world’s best cagers play. "About 220 countries around the world are tuned into the NBA on TV," he continued. "Today, we’ve got about 75 foreign players in our league and the number is growing, not decreasing. It’s a healthy sign that the NBA is truly the world’s No. 1 basketball league. We want to attract only the best players in the world."

Jackson said it remains to be seen if the Los Angeles Lakers can go all the way to win another title this season. So far, so good, he said, as the Lakers appear to be enjoying solid chemistry with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Karl Malone. But when the playoffs kick in, that’s when Bryant will feel the public pressure of his celebrated court case. How he’ll react to the pressure could determine how far the Lakers will go in their quest for a championship.