NEW YORK - Blake Griffin may have never set foot in the Philippines, but the former NBA star knows a thing or two about its basketball culture.
And he has Marqus Blakely to thank for that.
Now an analyst for NBA on Prime, Griffin, a Rookie of the Year winner and six-time All-Star, has yet to visit the country. But through Blakely, his friend who spent four to five years playing in the Philippines, Griffin has heard about Filipinos' deep-rooted love for basketball.
“I have a friend who played in the Philippines for four or five years, and he loved it over there,” he shared with SPIN.ph during the Art of Basketball event on Wednesday.
Apparently, Blakely, who was a PBA reinforcement from 2012-18 and won two titles alongside Best Import, had shared his pleasant experience playing in front of Filipino fans whether for the Purefoods franchise or TNT.
“Marqus Blakely,” Griffin said when asked to identify his friend. “He was dominant there.”
And that's why although Griffin has yet to experience Philippine basketball firsthand, the onetime No. 1 overall pick said he appreciates the passion Filipino fans bring to the sport.
“From everything I’ve heard, and from running into different Filipino fans, they’re basketball-obsessed and have a great knowledge of the game,” he said.
“I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting yet, but as a basketball fan myself, I really appreciate their fandom.”
Catch Griffin alongside other NBA legends as they man the coverage for Prime. From the regular NBA season to the Emirates NBA Cup, Playoffs, and Conference Finals, basketball fans can watch it all with a Prime Video subscription, with no additional fees or add-ons required.
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