A tall order

There were 30,000 posters printed by the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) to publicize its search for tall players. The posters – 10,000 each in English, Malay, and Chinese – were distributed in 106 districts all over the country.

It was MABA president Dato Loke Yuen Yow who thought of the recruitment program in 1995 after Malaysia literally came up short at the 13th Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Junior Championships in Manila. If height is might in basketball, Dato Loke was determined to discover potential skyscrapers wherever they may be.

MABA offers talent agents a finder’s fee equivalent to a range of P1,350 to P4,000 for every discovery. And if the recruit later makes it to the national team – juniors or seniors, bonuses are given. The nationwide search is undertaken once every two years.

No previous playing experience is required. MABA’s searching for height – never mind the skills. And the promise of a college education is the bait. The target groups are primary and medium secondary students.

The posters read:

"A college education is within reach… if you’ve got the height. Calling all tall students out there. Here’s your chance to make full use of your height and get great rewards. MABA is looking for new talents for the future of the sport. Yes, even those who have never played the game before. We’ll teach you everything you need to know. And much more. Who knows, if you’re really good, you might even make it to the national team and international glory.

"Selected trainees will receive training allowances plus food and traveling expenses, scholarships and a chance for a tertiary education. Even if you finish studying, we will still be there for you. There are subsidized career development programs, financial support and job opportunities awaiting."

MABA prepared a chart detailing how tall a recruit must be at a certain age. For males born in 1986, the height must be at least 5-2 1/2. The years of birth corresponding to height are 1985 – 5-6, 1984 – 5-9, 1983 – 6-0, 1982 – 6-1, 1981 – 6-3, and from 1978 to 1980 – 6-4. For females born in 1986, the height must be at least 5-3. The years of birth corresponding to height are 1985 – 5-4, 1984 – 5-5, 1983 – 5-6, 1982 – 5-7, 1981 – 5-8, and from 1978 to 1980 – 5-9.

To take care of recruits, MABA established an academy in 1999.

Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) and MABA secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock said the academy’s goals are to develop basketball as Malaysia’s premier sport, to promote the game among Malaysia’s various races, to provide a systematic training program for players, and to produce players of caliber for the national team.

The academy can accommodate 25 boys and 25 girls. MABA spends about P2,000 per recruit and enrolls the players in schools near the academy building which consists of nine storeys – seven for a car park and two for dormitories, study room, recreation room, dining room, kitchen, a laundry area, toilet and bathing facilities, and an indoor training court with six backboards.

The academy building is wholly owned by MABA which spent the equivalent of about P160 Million for its construction.

A self-sufficient organization, MABA built its own 12-storey building called the MABA House in 1971 at a cost of the equivalent of P40.5 Million. Of the 12 floors, eight are rented out and the others are for MABA’s use. MABA also constructed a 3,000-seat basketball stadium at a cost of P87.8 Million. It took some 10 years to finish because of the economic recession but MABA never gave up on the dream of owning its own stadium which was where the basketball games were held at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last year.

The stadium, MABA House, and academy building are located on a 1.75 acre prime property on Jalan Hang Jebat, a stone’s throw away from bustling Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. Yeoh said MABA’s real estate asset is now valued at some P810 Million. He confided that he’s entertaining the idea of selling the asset and relocating to a suburban site that could be developed into a sports complex where MABA could net at least P200 Million in the deal.

Yeoh said MABA spends about P20.2 Million a year to maintain its operations. But with the rentals it collects, MABA is on solid footing. Its problem is how to generate interest among Malaysians for basketball. Badminton, soccer, and field hockey are the most popular sports in Malaysia.

The academy hosts 15 boys and 15 girls at present. The average age is 17 years old. Among the boys, the tallest is 6-6. Most of the recruits are ethnic Chinese. Two are ethnic Indians, 6-5 Harjinder Singh and 5-9 Abdulkader Bin, both 18 years old.

Yeoh said the lack of a popular semi-pro league hampers the progress of the game. After Malaysia won the 1989 SEA Games gold medal in hoops, Yeoh recalled the national team disbanded because there was no future for basketball players without a league where they could earn decent money. MABA supervises the Malaysian Basketball League (MBL) but it only has six clubs and the season runs on weekends for two months. The MBL used to hire imports but now only locals play to save on costs. Yeoh said in the past, he recruited imports from the Australian league to control salaries to about $2,000 a month and singled out ex-PBA player Butch Hays as a standout.

Surely, there are lessons Philippine basketball can learn from the Malaysian experience, particularly on the business side.