Globalization evident in PBA

The various countries represented by the PBA’s 12 imports in the Commissioner’s Cup this season reflects the globalization of basketball with FIBA’s initiatives to grow the game world-wide clearly bearing fruit. The PBA had never rolled out an import cast that is as diverse. And this development comes at the heels of the FIBA World Cup where the Philippines was the primary host.

The imports include Barangay Ginebra’s 6-5 1/2 Tony Bishop, a Dallas-born naturalized player who has suited up for Panama since 2014. An import who saw action for Puerto Rico in the recent FIBA World Cup is Blackwater’s 6-7 9/16 Chris Ortiz. Other national players are Converge’s 6-5 13/16 Tom Vodanovich (New Zealand), Meralco’s 6-6 3/4 Suleiman Braimoh (Nigeria), San Miguel Beer’s 6-5 1/2 Ivan Aska (Virgin Islands), Terrafirma’s 6-7 5/8 Thomas De Thaey (Belgium U16, U18, U20), TNT’s 6-8 3/4 Quincy Miller (USA U18) and Phoenix’ 6-7 3/8 Jonathan Williams (USA U17). NLEX’ 6-8 3/8 Thomas Robinson was born in Washington, DC and became a naturalized Lebanese citizen in 2021. Although eligible to play for the Cedars, Robinson hasn’t been called up. Two naturalized imports waiting in the wings are Ginebra’s 6-4 5/8 Justin Brownlee (Philippines) and TNT’s 6-5 5/8 Rondae Hollis Jefferson (Jordan). The only imports with no national team experience are Magnolia’s 6-6 3/8 Tyler Bey, NorthPort’s 6-4 15/16 Venkatesha (Venky) Jois of Australia and Rain or Shine’s 6-7 7/8 DaJuan Summers.

Jefferson would’ve played for TNT in the season-opening game against Magnolia at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday but is still recovering from acute gastritis. A bad case of food poisoning knocked out Jefferson from TNT’s EASL rematch with the Chiba Jets in Sta. Rosa last Wednesday. TNT suited up its second EASL import Quincy Miller for the Hotshots game after securing his release from Converge the day before. Miller played for the FiberXers in the Commissioner’s Cup last season. Jefferson said he’ll be ready to go after skipping one or two more games. The scuttlebutt is Miller badly wants to play in TNT’s coming clash with Converge at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Saturday.

In the previous Commissioner’s Cup, Miller was benched a game for showing up late for practice the morning after his birthday party. Converge was on a seven-game win streak and with Miller out, the FiberXers lost a 112-97 decision to NorthPort. Converge was never the same again and dropped its next three games even with Miller back in harness, bowing out of the quarterfinals. Miller’s birthday is on Nov. 18 and it doesn’t look like he’ll celebrate like he did last year.

Miller is the tallest import while Jois is the shortest. When Brownlee is activated, he’ll be the shortest. The senior import is Summers, 35 and the youngest is Bey, 25. Nine of the 12 imports are 30 and over, indicating long years of experience. For instance, Jois, 30, has played in Slovenia, Croatia, New Zealand, Estonia, Serbia, Australia, Japan and Germany. His father is Indian and mother, Australian. He played four years for US NCAA D-1 Eastern Washington University, averaging in double figure points every season.