Brown: don’t boycott Asian Games

1985 PBA Most Valuable Player Ricardo Brown sent this writer an urgent message, asking that his thoughts be made known on the controversy surrounding Gilas Pilipinas’ participation in the upcoming Asian Games basketball competition. The Pepperdine University guard believes that the country should send a team, with or without Andray Blatche, who was declared ineligible to play by the Olympic Council of Asia for not meeting its three-year residency rule.

“It troubles me to read about a potential boycott of the games if Blatche is not allowed to play,” Brown told this writer in a lengthy e-mail. “I believe we have a National Team that will be competitive in the Asian Games, and I would consider it a travesty if we failed to participate simply because of one player, a naturalized non-Filipino player at that, not being allowed to play. If I were a player on Gilas Pilipinas and heard that there is consideration to not participate in the Games because of Blatche not being allowed to play, I would be furious and offended.  As someone on the outside looking in, I believe it would be a step backward for Philippine basketball after some huge strides were made in Spain.  My vote is to send our team with or without Blatche and go for the ‘W’!  These men have earned the right and privilege to play in these Asian Games.”

Brown, who was approached by then Philippine team patron Danding Cojuangco after being drafted by the Houston Rockets in1979, thought that Gilas Pilipinas acquitted itself quite well in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which concluded this morning. Comparing the awareness of the Philippines to the US where he currently resides, Brown says there is no comparison.

“I am proud of Gilas Pilipinas’ showing and performance in the FIBA World Cup. Realistically, the goal was to be competitive, and we were surely competitive and only an eyelash from winning three games instead of one,” the 1983 PBA Rookie of the Year explained. “One very unique thing that we all embrace and is unique to the Philippines perhaps more than any other country is the fact that this tournament captured the undying support and interest of Filipinos worldwide. That enormous passion and support for country through this tournament definitely played heavily in motivating and inspiring our coaches and players above and beyond the norm.  Compare that to the United States’ National Team playing there currently. Hardly anyone here in the States is aware the US team is even playing in the FIBA World Cup tournament, nor do most sports fans here care.”

Brown, who surrendered his US citizenship in order to play as a Filipino at a time when dual citizenship was not yet allowed in the Philippines, revealed his apprehension on the internationally accepted practice of allowing naturalized players on national teams for amateur competitions. Brown is apprehensive about the long-term value of this approach.

“I’m not sure the practice of ‘hiring’ ex-NBA players to become naturalized simply to play for the Philippines in international competition is in the best interests of Philippine basketball,” Brown argues. “I don’t blame a player at all for taking advantage of the opportunity to earn good money to play, regardless if it is a pro team, a club team, or even in this case, a National Team.  I just worry where this could go in the long term for countries that have the financial support to ‘hire and naturalize’ whomever is needed to win. If that occurs, what would the roster look like?  Would it potentially include more ex-NBA players with no lineage/connection to the Philippines other than to be paid to play and win? I don’t embrace that vision at all.

“I must admit that it could potentially become a slippery slope. My preference would be to roster players who have a Filipino connection of some sort, i.e. lineage (parents/grandparents, Fil-Ams), residency/education (someone raised in the Philippines or at least attended college there as an example), or PBA experience (Norman Black),” says Brown, who was first interested to come to the Philippines because he had never met his grandparents.

Brown, who overcame a life-threatening heart ailment to come back and help win the 1989 Third Conference and thus, a Grand Slam for San Miguel Beer, was also pleased that Gilas Pilipinas team captain Jimmy Alapag agreed to don the national colors one more time, in lieu of the injured Jayson Castro.

“Good to hear that Jimmy will play in one more competition, and he will be needed – both on the floor and especially his leadership in the locker room, which is essential when a team faces adversity in a tournament, which is always a possibility,” Brown says. “Sorry to hear about Jayson, a player that I am extremely high on and I believe has unlimited potential.”

“I realize my position may not be shared by others, but I would not like to see Gilas Pilipinas be a recruiting ground for ex-NBA players willing to be naturalized for a quick, hefty payday,” concludes Brown, who along with Willie Pearson set the standard of professionalism for Fil-Am players. “Once that happens, a country’s National Team is really not a country’s National Team, in my opinion.”