It’s not often that you find a Filipino-Nigerian playing in the PBA. But this season, there are two wearing the same uniform – Hans Thiele and Kenneth Ighalo of Kia Sorento. Both were born in the Philippines so they’re classified as locals like Jayson Castro, Jay Washington, Matt Ganuelas, Calvin Abueva, Chris Exciminiano, Nino Canaleta, Gabby Espinas, Topex Robinson and Willie Miller whose fathers are American.
Thiele, 30, was not picked in the 2010 PBA draft out of UE. He was born in Aklan to a Nigerian father and Filipina mother. The 6-5 center-forward persevered in his PBA dream and played for Barako, Meralco and Alaska before moving to the ABL with San Miguel Beer. Then, he returned to the PBA with Petron and Barako. In the dispersal draft last summer, Thiele was Kia’s third pick after Reil Cervantes and Mike Burtscher.
Ighalo, 25, was born in Manila to a Nigerian father Sonny and Filipina mother Rosie of La Union. He attended the University of Baguio high school then transferred to Mapua for college. Ighalo polished his skills with Café France, JRU-Air 21 and Cagayan Valley in the D-League. The 6-1 guard was drafted by Kia in the third round, No. 28 overall.
Thiele came through with 13 points and nine rebounds in Kia’s 80-66 win over Blackwater in the Philippine Cup last Oct. 19. But in the Sorento’s next game against Barangay Ginebra, Thiele was brought down to earth as he scored only two points and didn’t grab a single rebound. Ighalo scored a point against Blackwater and two against Ginebra in limited time.
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In the PBA, Castro isn’t the only player who chose to use his mother’s surname. In his birth certificate, his father’s surname William appears so that in FIBA tournaments where the passport is the basis of identification, he is known as Jason William. It’s the same case with Rain Or Shine’s Paul Lee whose passport identifies him as Dalistan, his mother’s surname. At the recent FIBA World Cup in Spain, he was known as Paul Dalistan.
Ginebra rookie Rodney Brondial is in an identical situation. His father is an Australian, Rodney Andersen and his Filipina mother is Evelyn Brondial from Quezon City. The 6-4 forward-center was born here and attended Bago Bantay Elementary School and Quezon City High School Academy before playing four years with Adamson in the UAAP. Brondial uses his mother’s surname not his father’s.
In last Friday’s game between Ginebra and Kia at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena, there were seven undrafted players and 15 first round draft picks with both teams. The undrafted players were Ginebra’s Josh Urbiztondo (2009) and Kia’s Eder Saldua (2008), Paul Sanga (2013), Thiele (2010), Chad Alonzo (2006), Rudy Lingganay (2010) and Bogart Raymundo (2008). The first round picks were for Kia, Manny Pacquiao (2014), Rich Alvarez (2004), Reil Cervantes (2011) and Mike Burtscher (2009) and for Ginebra, Brondial (2014), Joseph Yeo (2006), James Forrester (2013), Billy Mamaril (2003), L. A. Tenorio (2006), Greg Slaughter (2013), Japeth Aguilar (2009), Dylan Ababou (2011), Chris Ellis (2012), Mac Baracael (2011) and Mark Caguioa (2001).
The only “direct hires” were Jay-Jay Helterbrand and Jay-R Reyes, both of Ginebra. Helterbrand was picked out of the MBA by Ginebra in 2000 while Reyes was one of three rookie recruits from the Welcoat PBL team by Rain Or Shine in 2006. Reyes, Jay Sagad and Junjun Cabatu were the three rookie direct hires. Sagad played only one year in the PBA and Cabatu, three. Reyes is the lone survivor of the trio still playing in the pros.
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Since last Sunday’s update on former PBA imports clinging to roster spots in the NBA with the season starting tomorrow, two more were dropped leaving only three in active duty – Indiana’s Donald Sloan, Brooklyn’s Jerome Jordan and Philadelphia’s Henry Sims.
The late cuts were D. J. Mbenga by New York, Earl Barron by Phoenix and Josh Powell by Houston. Previously waived were Vernon Macklin and Kevin Jones by New Orleans, Reggie Williams by Miami and Elijah Millsap by Milwaukee.
Former NBA players left out of rosters are exploring opportunities overseas. Gilas center Andray Blatche, for instance, went from the Brooklyn Nets to the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. Blatche is guaranteed to receive over $8 million from the Washington Wizards this season whether or not he plays in the NBA. So his $2.5 million salary from the Flying Tigers is a bonus. Blatche was an amnesty cut by the Wizards three years back and his guaranteed Washington contact expires at the end of this season. After he was cut by the Wizards, Blatche played two seasons with the Nets, giving back to Washington what he earned.
Other NBA veterans in the Chinese league include Stephon Marbury of Beijing, Michael Beasley and Delonte West of Shanghai, Toney Douglas of Jiangsu, Metta World Peace of Sichuan and Al Harrington of Fujian. Beasley and Douglas played for Miami in the NBA Finals last season so with LeBron James’ departure, coach Erik Spoelstra decided to clean the house. Among Spoelstra’s other casualties were James Jones, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen.