ANDRAY Blatche is set to see action in the PBA as an import.
Sources confirmed that the Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player will be asked to stay in the country and play as an import in the 2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup if the Philippines qualifies for the 2019 Fiba World Cup.
Blatche is expected to play either with the TNT KaTropa, under consultant Mark Dickel, or with the NLEX Road Warriors under national team coach Yeng Guiao, in the league's second conference, a source added.
If Team Pilipinas wins over Kazakhstan on Sunday and qualifies to the 2019 Fiba World Cup, the plan will enable the 32-year-old to continue his preparations with the rest of the team for the Fiba World Cup in China come August.
Philippine Star's Nelson Beltran was the first to report on the development.
Plans for Blatche seeing action in Asia's first play-for-pay league has been in the works as early as last year.
There will be no more complications with Blatche's foray in the PBA, since the Chinese Basketball Association's season is expected to be over by April, with his team Tianjin Golden Lions poised to bow out as early as March as they sit 16th place in the 20-team Chinese domestic league.
The PBA Commissioner's Cup is expected to start at around the same time.
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