After Sixers, MVP also eyes Hawks

Manila, Philippines - After admitting the giant Smart-PLDT group of Manny V. Pangilinan has talked to former owners of the Philadelphia Sixers, the conglomerate is now sitting down with potential owners of the Atlanta Hawks for a possible acquisition of a franchise which owned NBA stars Josh Smith, Al Horford and Joe Johnson.

“A group interested to acquire the Atlanta Hawks approached us. Actually there are two groups,” Al Panlilio, a Meralco senior vice-president and MVP Sports Foundation president, yesterday told The STAR.

“We’re still in the process of discussions though,” he added.

This development came after Panlilio announced they’ve been approached by former Philadelphia Sixers owners of the franchise’s possible sale to a New York-based group.

“We continue to talk to several franchises in the NBA for potential opportunities,” Panlilio earlier said.

News on the Hawks’ possible sale came out after their owners sold the AtlantaThrashers, a hockey team, to a group that will relocate the franchise to Winnipeg next season.

It was open secret that the Hawks owners have spent the last two to three years seeking minority investors. Although the Hawks are open to minority or majority shareholders, Panlilio say they want a franchise located in the West – perhaps the Sacramento Kings.

“Our preference is the West Coast,” said Panlilio. “The Sacramento Kings is one of them but we are asking our potential partners to scan other potential teams.”

The search for an NBA franchise is part of the plan of finally getting a Filipino to play in the NBA and follow the footsteps of some Asians already playing or have played there like China’s Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, Menk Bateer, Korea’s Ha Sung Jin, Japan’s Yuta Tabuse and Iran’s Hamed Haddadi.