Fil-Am Jalen Green shoots down playing for Gilas as local
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green officially shut the door on wearing the Gilas Pilipinas jersey in FIBA tournaments.
Green, who recently joined the East Asia Super League (EASL) as an ambassador and investor, told NBA insider Marc Stein that he would continue to represent his fellow Filipinos even if he continues his international career with the USA Basketball.
"I think they know already that I wouldn't be able to [switch] because I have USA ties already," Green said. "They know it's love and support at the end of the day."
Recently named to the All-Rookie First Team, Green is viewed as one of the future stars in the NBA. So, it is not a far-fetched idea that he will be selected to represent Team USA at the senior level at some point.
Green had been a mainstay of the USA Basketball junior program, collecting three medals in international tournaments. He was named the MVP at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in 2018.
Even if Team USA does not enlist Green in their senior teams, it will still be a long shot for the Philippine basketball federation to get him as a local player. Their only route is to get him as a naturalized player despite having Filipino roots.
could be huge for ???????? but sorry to squash any hopes as Jalen Green is no longer eligible to play for another country after he represented ???????? in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. he’s a future Team USA player in the seniors barring any major setback in his career. https://t.co/xjnkzTtW70 pic.twitter.com/lRQFIOCoTA
— alder almo (@alderalmo) August 13, 2020
Born to a Filipino-American mother, who traces her roots in Ilocos Sur, Green reportedly did not acquire a Philippine passport at the age of 16. That disqualifies him from a FIBA exception that makes him eligible to play as a local even if he already played for a national team of another country after reaching his seventeenth birthday.
The Secretary-General of FIBA may authorize a player like Green to represent the Philippines, provided that it is in the interest of the development of basketball in the country.
Despite his inability to represent the Philippines in FIBA tournaments, Green remains proud of his Filipino heritage. His move to join EASL is one of his ways to give back to the enormous support he’s been getting from Filipinos worldwide.
“I just want to put the Asian basketball community on the map and [hope to become] an inspiration for the next generation of hoopers in Asia,” Green said. “Especially in the Philippines because I have a background there.”
**
Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for the New York-based sports website empiresportsmedia.com.
- Latest
- Trending
