Cone expects Pacquiao to have hands full in PBA

MANILA, Philippines - A coaching duel between two-time grand slam-winning coach Tim Cone and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is expected to spice up the coming PBA season.

There’s also the possibility of the Pacquiao-James Yap faceoff on the hard court if the boxing star indeed pursues his plan not just to coach but also play for expansion team KIA.

But with all due respect to Pacquiao and his fans, Cone seems to be far from being excited taking on the fighting lawmaker from Saranggani.

Should Pacquiao go on to jump over to the pro league coaching and playing, Cone said: “The people will realize just how good the PBA is.”

Cone said Pacquiao would be an added excitement, but the boxing star would get the surprise of his life competing with the PBA players.

“It will be an eye opener for everybody,” Cone said.

“I just think people really don’t know how good the NBA, the coaching, the playing there. It’s really good. It’s even better than we could imagine. And for us here, I think people don’t realize how good the PBA. How good these players are. How good the coaching is. How much strategy goes on. How much discipline and effort goes on,” Cone pointed out.

“I think it’s exciting time to bring in an iconic figure such as Manny Pacquiao. I think people will realize just how good this league is,” Cone added.

But then Pacquiao and Team KIA may have another thing in mind.

Meanwhile, blame it on the PBA expansion, San Mig Coffee has to break a bit its grand slam champion roster for the dispersal draft the league is holding for expansion teams Kia and Blackwater Sports on July 18.

Of course, Cone is to keep their core group led by Yap, Marc Pingris, Joe Devance, PJ Simon and Mark Barroca, but the team may part ways with reserves like JR Cawaling, Ken Bono and Lester Alvarez.

Cone has to decide on their “protect list” Monday as the teams are limited to 12 regulars plus two reserves for next season with the excess to be made available for the two expansion teams.

“That’s the toughest thing now,” said Cone.

Other players in the San Mig camp at the moment are Ian Sangalang, Justin Melton, Alex Mallari, Rafi Reavis, Allein Maliksi, Ronnie Matias, Jerwin Gaco, Yousef Taha and Isaac Holstein.

“It’s tough to decide who’s going to go to the dispersal draft. We have a beautiful core players and we have guys who didn’t get to suit up but they come everyday and do their job day in and day out with no fanfare,” said Cone.

“But somehow, we have to make a decision. I don’t know how it’s going to work but that’s the tough part of this expansion thing,” Cone added.