Japan expands import options

Japan’s B-League contracts may not be widely available to Filipinos as starting next season, Asian imports will include recruits from Lebanon. B-League teams are allowed to enlist either a naturalized player or Asian import. At the moment, there are at least 20 naturalized players in Japan and big-budget B-League teams prefer transplanted Americans like Alex Kirk, Josh Hawkinson, Ryan Rossiter and Gavin Edwards. Filipinos who are eligible as Asian imports must carry a Philippine passport and if born abroad, must have played for Gilas as a local in a FIBA competition.

Japan has progressively opened its doors to more Asian imports. It used to be that only players from the Philippines, China, Chinese-Taipei, South Korea and Indonesia could join as Asian imports. Then, the options were expanded to include players from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and India last season. In 2025-26, Lebanon will be included in the list and it’s expected crack guard Wael Arakji will be recruited. As the B-League aims to become the NBA version of Asia, the future will likely bring in players from more countries, particularly in Central Asia (including Kazakhstan), the Gulf (including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates) and West Asia (including Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine).

Last season, the B-League featured Filipino imports Kai Sotto, Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Ray Parks, AJ Edu, Matthew Wright, Roosevelt Adams, Matthew Aquino (classified as a local because of his Japanese heritage), Geo Chiu and James Spencer. Chiu played in D-2 and Spencer, D-3. Several players have been re-signed, including Sotto, Ravena, Ramos, Parks and Edu. Because of the B-League’s import outreach and some teams’ preference for naturalized players, opportunities for Filipinos may not be as rife as before.

In Korea, only full-blooded Filipinos, whether born here or abroad, are allowed to play as Asian imports so that rules out Fil-foreigners. Last season’s Filipino imports were Rookie of the Year JD Cagulangan, Carl Tamayo, SJ Belangel, Justin Gutang, 2023-24 MVP Ethan Alvano, Calvin Epistola, Migs Oczon, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño and Kevin Quiambao. Set to join the party is Arvin Tolentino, fresh from inking a three-year contract with the Seoul SK Knights.

Several Filipino players have also seen action as imports in Taiwan, notably, Caelan Tiongson, Jason Brickman, Jordan Heading, Ricci Rivero and KG Canaleta but the migration is mainly to Korea and Japan. India reeled in Fil-Italian Dalph Panopio who had played on the Gilas U18 and U19 squads but the 6-1 guard may be a prospect for the PBA draft after averaging 14.9 points for Mumbai this season.