All about imports

In the PBA this season, the three-conference format makes a much-awaited return after a five-year absence. The first conference is the Philippine or All-Filipino Cup which began last Sunday. The second will allow each team to recruit a 6-4 import. And the third leg will reintroduce a handicapping system where the top four teams of the previous conference play an import with a height limit set at 6-2, the next four at 6-4 and the last two at 6-6.

With two of the three conferences featuring imports, you wonder if an NBA first round draft pick will be among the coming visitors. It’s been five years since the PBA welcomed an NBA first round choice – coincidentally, the last time was when the league broke down the year into three conferences.

In 2004-05, the PBA staged a transition Fiesta Conference where the import ceiling was 6-8 and the “regular” Fiesta Conference had no limit at all. There were 50 imports who answered the PBA’s call in those two conferences and one of them was Chicago’s 1994 first round pick Dickey Simpkins.

Since the PBA opened shop in 1975, there have been 40 NBA first rounders to sign up as imports. The last 10 were Sherell Ford (Pop Cola, 1998), Kenny Payne (Ginebra, 1998), John Morton (Shell, 1999-2000), Mario Bennett (San Miguel Beer, 2002), Chris Morris (Purefoods, 2002), Johnny Taylor (Sta. Lucia Realty, 2002), Rodrick Rhodes (Fed-Ex, 2002), Scott Burrell (Red Bull, 2003), Cedric Ceballos (San Miguel Beer, 2003) and Simpkins (Alaska, 2004-05). 

The first-ever NBA opening round pick to see action in the PBA was Dana Lewis (Presto, 1977). Other first rounders were Glenn McDonald (U-Tex, 1978-79-80), Manhattan, 1983), George Trapp (U-Tex, 1979), Otto Moore (Royal Tru-Orange, 1979-80), Glenn Mosley (Crispa, 1980), James Hardy (Crispa, 1981), Larry Demic (Crispa, 1983), Anthony Roberts (Gilbey’s Gin, 1983), Howard Carter (Shell, 1985), Stewart Granger (Shell, 1986), Rob Williams (Tanduay, 1986), Don Collins (Magnolia, 1986), Michael Young (Manila Beer, 1986, Great Taste, 1987), David Thirdkill (Tanduay, 1987, Purefoods, 1988), Freeman Williams (Tanduay, 1987), Kenny Fields (Presto, 1988), Ennis Whatley (San Miguel Beer, 1989, Presto, 1990), Alfrederick Hughes (Sarsi, 1990), Wes Matthews (Ginebra, 1991), Bernard Thompson (Swift, 1991, 1994), Derrick Chievous (San Miguel Beer, 1992), Mike McGee (Sta. Lucia Realty, 1993), Mitchell Wiggins (Tondeña, 1994), Jerome Lane (Shell, 1994), Kenny Battle (Alaska, 1993), Leon Wood (Purefoods, 1994), Billy Thompson (San Miguel Beer, 1994), Byron Irvin (Purefoods, 1994), Dennis Hopson (Purefoods, 1996) and Byron Houston (Pop Cola, 1997).

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The most recent first rounders were 1997 picks Taylor by Orlando and Rhodes by Houston. No NBA first round choice in the new millennium has performed in the PBA. In 1989, four first round picks – Payne (Philadelphia), Battle (Detroit), Morton (Cleveland), Irvin (Portland) – found their way to the PBA.

With over 600 imports in the PBA directory over the last 35 years, only 26 were white. It’s not racial discrimination. PBA teams recruit the best available talent, regardless of race. Most imports have been Americans. Among the exceptions were Jim Zoet, Granger, Tony Simms and Denham Brown of Canada, Andy Thompson of the Bahamas, Reda Rhalimi of Morocco, Adam Parada of Mexico, Julius Nwosu and Jeff Varem of Nigeria and Leon Trimmingham of the Virgin Islands.

The Caucasians who’ve seen action in the NBA were Pete Crotty (Crispa, 1975), Steve Smith (San Miguel Beer, 1975), Ron Wrigley (CFC Presto, 1975), Steve Brooks (7-Up, 1975), Lee Haven (U-Tex, 1975-76), Bill Bozeat (Tanduay, 1976), Tim Hirten (Tanduay, 1976), Mike Rozenski (Royal Tru-Orange, 1977), Steve Stroud (7-Up, 1977), Frank Gugliotta (Royal Tru-Orange, 1978), Norm Kelly (Honda, 1979), Tom Snyder (Honda, 1979), Kevin Cleuss (Tanduay, 1980), Zoet (Finance, 1981), Mike Carter (Finance, 1981), John Kazmer (U-Tex, 1981), Ryan Fletcher (Ginebra, 2000-01, Sta. Lucia Realty, 2004-05), Jack Hartman (Red Bull, 2001), David Wood (Purefoods, 2001), Richie Frahm (Talk ‘N’ Text, 2002), Chris Clay (Sta. Lucia Realty, 2002), Derek Grimm (Shell, 2002), Damien Cantrell (Talk ‘N’ Text, 2003), Chris Burgess (San Miguel Beer, 2004-05), Alex Compton (Welcoat, 2006-07, 2007-08) and Jason Keep (Welcoat, 2007-08). 

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In 1981, the PBA introduced a Best Import award for every conference. So far, the only multiple awardees have been Bobby Parks (7), Norman Black (2), Billy Ray Bates (2), Ken Redfield (2) and Derrick Brown (2).

Some NBA veterans opted to end their careers in the PBA like Kevin Porter who played for Toyota in 1983 and Wood, now an NBA referee, who suited up for Purefoods in 1994. Imports who used the PBA as their training grounds for the NBA included Kevin Gamble, Eldridge Recasner, Chris King, Henry James, Vince Askew, Rick Brunson, Sam Mack, Frahm and Earl Barron.

Here’s my list of the PBA’s 20 greatest imports – Bates, Tony Harris, Sean Chambers, Parks, Byron (Snake) Jones, Black, Michael Hackett, Bruce (Sky) King, Larry McNeill, Thirdkill, Ken Redfield, McDonald, John Best, Cyrus Mann, Ronnie Grandison, Michael Young, Lamont Strothers, Rosell Ellis, Brown and Diamon Simpson.