NBA vet, Fil-Am wife ready for RP

LOS ANGELES — NBA veteran Gary Grant is planning to go to Manila to "explore opportunities" and visit the roots of his wife.

"The General" who played 13 seasons in the NBA was the 15th overall pick in the 1988 draft. He was selected by the Seattle Supersonics in the first round; but was traded with a 1989 first round draft choice to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-way trade with Philadelphia 76ers for Michael Cage on July 28, 1988.

The blue chip from the University of Michigan was a consensus First-Team All-American selection by the AP, UPI, USBWA and Basketball Weekly after averaging 21.1 ppg, 6.9 apg and 3.4 rpg as a senior. On his first year in the pros, he bested all other rookies in the assists and steals departments with 7.1 apg and 2.03 spg. From 1988-89 thru 1991-92, Grant led the Clippers in assists and also took charge of the steals in 1989-90.

The 6’1 point guard ranks second in Clippers’ franchise history with 2,810 assists and shares the team’s record with 21 assists in a game.

At the time when his professional career was flourishing in California, his personal life was also reaching an exciting point.

"I saw her at a grocery store one day and I thought she was fine. So I followed her around," Grant, 39, recalls of the first time he met his wife, Tammy Adams-Grant, 34. (Sometimes it’s called stalking.) Tammy, slender and chestnut-colored hair, is the youngest of six children born to Richard Adams and Elenita Salanga.

Salanga, a native of San Fernando, La Union, was working in Clarkfield, Pampanga as an accounting technician when she met the then 26-year-old, blond and blue-eyed Adams who was reporting for his first day as a veterinarian technician at the base. Salanga admitted that right from the start, she was already attracted to her new colleague and immediately checked Adam’s records. He was single.

Adams eventually yielded to Salanga’s charms and the two started going out. In 1948, he took his wife-to-be to Minnesota to meet his family. A wedding was arranged shortly after.

"His (Adams’) mom invited all their relatives and friends from Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan, just to see a Filipina," Salanga narrates. She adds that she’s very blessed because despite her ethnicity, Adams’ all-American family accepted her with open arms. In fact, her mother-in-law was even the one who helped her take care of her six children — two boys and four girls.

When the severe weather in Minnesota became unbearable for the Adams, they moved to sunny Cali. This was also the time when Grant was adjusting to California life, after starting his career with the Clippers.

"He’s very kind, polite, and dedicated. He takes care of his family really well," Salanga says of her son-in-law. She and her husband Richard, now married for 50 years, are living with Grant and Tammy and their three daughters — Karen-13, Mahogany-9 and Piper-3, in Calabasas, California. The two have been married for fifteen years.

His NBA career, however, was not as stable as his married life.

After seven years with the Clippers, Grant was signed as a free agent by the New York Knicks, and was named New York Knicks Sharpshooter of the month for December, 1995, shooting .552 from the field and .909 from the free-throw line.

On August 12, 1996, again a free agent, he was signed by the Miami Heat, although he didn’t stay long. He was traded with Matt Fish, a 1999 second-round draft choice, to the Sacramento Kings for Duane Causewell. After being waived by the Kings in 1997, Grant moved on to play in the CBA in 1997-98.

On March 5, 1998, the Portland Trailblazers signed Grant to the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts. After 20 days, he was signed for the remainder of the season, and was hired again for the following year. It was with the Trailblazers that he ended his Trip-to-Jerusalem-like career.

"Playing against the greatest players who ever played the game — Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan; and being friends with them until today makes it all worthwhile," Grant says. "We had a lot of battles on and off the court."

Throughout his years in the world’s most prestigious basketball league, Grant has appeared in 11 career NBA playoff games, averaging 4.5 ppg and 3.7 apg in 16.9 mpg. In all, he started in 231 games out of 552 that he played, and scored 4,368 points, 3,013 assists, and 1,283 rebounds.

The once assistant coach for the Trailblazers is now pursuing coaching individual players from high school and college.

"Now it’s more like teaching, teaching and watching people develop their game in handling the ball, passing, shooting. I learned from the players I played against," says Grant who coaches Ticket, a team in the Agent Division of the 2004 Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California.

Grant, who has never been to the Philippines, is planning a trip to Manila with Tammy and their kids. He adds that he is looking forward to experiencing for himself the stories that his mother-in-law brings with her to California after each visit to the Philippines. For now, Salanga describes them as "a very busy couple," Grant with coaching and Tammy with her oil and soap manufacturing business called "Pure Necessities." The certified herbalist makes her own products and supplies different stores and malls with skin care products.

When they finally get to visit Manila, expect Grant to feast on pancit, adobo, and lumpia (which he calls "the crunchy brown thing") But don’t ask him why, Salanga advises. She says Grant doesn’t like the Tagalog word "Bakit" because he thinks it sounds weird.