PBA veteran imports suit up for other teams

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran PBA imports Paul Harris, Bill Walker and Allen Durham are returning but for different teams while Mohammad Jamshidi and Rodrigue Akl are two Asian hotshots suiting up in the coming PBA Governors Cup.

Harris has moved over to Barangay Ginebra from Tropang TNT, Walker is bringing his act to NLEX from Alaska Milk while Durham is transferring to Meralco from Barako Bull.

Marcus Blakely and AZ Reid, meanwhile, are champion imports looking to make another title run with the Star Hotshots and the San Miguel Beermen, respectively.

Eric Dawson and Dominic Sutton are also making another tour of duty in the local pro league, suiting up with Blackwater and GlobalPort, respectively.

A new name confirmed to play in the season-ending PBA tourney is James White for Mahindra.

Jamshidi, a recent Manila visitor with the Iranian national team that played Gilas Pilipinas in a tune-up game, will be back after their Turin FIBA OQT stint, reinforcing the Meralco Bolts.

Akl, a longtime mainstay of the Lebanon national team, on the other hand, is strutting his stuff with the Road Warriors.

Asian reinforcements are not mandatory, with teams having the option to play only with a regular import. Blackwater and Mahindra are allowed a height ceiling of 6-foot-9 for their imports while the rest has a height limit of 6-foot-5.

Among the pioneer Asian imports seeing action last season were Sam Daghles for TNT, Michael Madanly for NLEX, Seiya Ando for Meralco, Chang Tsung-hsien for Kia, Omar Krayem for Globalport, and Sanchir Tungalag and Kim Jiwan for Ginebra.

Curiously, San Miguel Beer, Alaska Milk, Rain or Shine and Star made the Final Four minus Asian imports.

Jamshidi is a rising Iranian star who could make an impact with the Bolts. Measured a tad short of 6-foot-3, Jamshidi is now considered the top gun of the Iranian national team on the exit of longtime star Nikkhah Bahrami.