THE PBA has slapped a hefty P250,000 fine on Purefoods Star’s mercurial import Daniel Orton on Friday for “issuing comments that are disparaging, disrespectful of and offensive to his host league, the game officials and a fellow player and head coach of a member-team.”
“This office disapproves of and frowns upon the cavalier manner in which Mr. Orton issued his comments and the unwarranted antics and liberties he has taken with the league and a fellow player. This insulting behavior will never be condoned by this league,” PBA commissioner Chito Salud said in a strongly-worded statement after a 30-minute meeting with the 6-foot-9 Orton at the league’s office in Libis, Quezon City.
Orton’s six-digit-figure penalty came on the heels of the Hotshots import’s post-game tirade on Purefoods Star’s embarrassing 95-84 to expansion team KIA Motors on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[See NBA veteran Daniel Orton goes ballistic, says Manny Pacquiao playing pro hoops 'a joke']
The former Kentucky big man took shots at KIA playing coach Manny Pacquiao’s foray into the PBA — calling it a “joke”, while also slamming the referees for 'making a mockery of the game.'
Orton went ballistic in a game that saw him struggle in defending KIA’s giant import Peter John Ramos.
He finished the game with just six points and three rebounds in 19 foul-plagued minutes. He eventually fouled out with under two minutes left in the game.
The Hotshots are on a two-game losing streak since opening the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 4-0 record.
For the moment, Purefoods Star management is looking at bringing back either Marqus Blakely, who led the Hotshots to a 3-0 start before giving way to Orton, or one-time PBA Best Import Denzel Bowles.
[See Blakely back in equation as Purefoods braces for fallout from Daniel Orton rant against Pacquiao, refs]
Bowles, who is fresh from a stint with the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association, led Purefoods (then known as B-Meg) to the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup title.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
