AUSTRALIA national coach Brian Goorjian isn't surprised that the Philippines, given its deep well of high-caliber basketball players, is now one of the top exporters of heritage imports in Asia.
But if he can have it his way, Goorjian wants these players to play in the PBA and not in some other league overseas.
READ Why Brian Goorjian isn't on SBP shortlist of candidates for Gilas coach
Goorjian explains why Pinoys should stay home
Goorjian believes that top Filipino players staying put will benefit the development of Gilas Pilipinas and Philippine basketball in general rather than helping improve the growth of the game in neighboring countries.
“I suggest they play in the PBA. That’s what this country is about, play for the PBA and then eventually play for the national team. We are not developing players for the other countries,” said Goorjian, who has expressed interest in the Gilas coaching post.
“We want Filipino players playing in the Philippines, that’s the goal. That will benefit Gilas and the national team, 100 percent. The guys being developed in the Philippines should become PBA players,” he added.
Aussies encouraged to play in NBL
Goorjian bared that this is also the template they are doing in Australia, wherein players are encouraged to play in the NBL rather than head elsewhere.
“We’re doing the same thing in Australia. We have the NBL, which we are trying to bring these young (Australian) players to. We built it to the point that if they (Australian players) can play in the NBA, great. But if they can’t we don’t want them playing in Europe, we don’t want them playing in Japan. We want them playing in Australia,” he said.
Goorjian also bared that just like the Philippines, Australia is faced with the problem of players being poached by international leagues.
And this, according to him, will definitely have great impact on the formation and growth of the Australian national team, which he led to a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to share the podium with the United States (gold) and France (silver).
“We’re going through this same thing (departure of top players) in Australia. I hope that the Filipino players that are developed, play in the PBA. It will be good for Philippine basketball. You have so many talents,” Goorjian.
The six-time NBL champion and Coach of the Year awardee is quite familiar with the PBA, having coached the Bay Area Dragons to a runner-up finish behind Barangay Ginebra in a memorable guest stint a year ago.
'PBA is great competition'
“The PBA is a great competition, I was in it last year, we enjoyed it. And we’re very disappointed we didn’t get back. So I am hoping Filipino players hopefully become PBA players and hopefully they become NBA players and national team players,” he said.
With this Goorjian hopes that the PBA and other Philippine basketball stakeholders will join hands in convincing these top-tier players to stay in the country.
“If it’s good for them and they can make money [by heading overseas], but hopefully, the PBA satisfies their needs and the guys being developed here become PBA players. Again, we want Filipino players playing in the Philippines - that’s the goal,” he said.
In the Dubai-bound Strong Group Athletics (Philippines) team alone, the 70-year-old Goorjian, who serves as an active consultant in the squad, bared that he saw atleast four players who can make it big in the international scene.
He named Justine Baltazar (Pampanga Giant Lanterns, Kevin Quiambao (DLSU) and young shooters Francis Escandor (DLSU) and Jaydee Cagulangan (UP).
Goorjian said that with his size, the 6-7 Baltazar can very much compete with the agile bigs of other countries. Same with Quiambao, whom he said ‘has very good work ethic and a deadly shooting from the outside.”
Strong Group coach Charles Tiu shared how Goorjian is so fond of Filipino players who he finds easy to coach and very diligent.
“Coach Brian is very happy that in a short span of time, our players are able to ingest the system, that they are able to complement our imports who are mostly former NBA stars and starters,” said Tiu of a team stacked with Dwight Howard, former Oklahoma Thunder Andre Roberson and Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche.
“He just loves Filipino basketball and he has fallen in love with how we play the game,” added Tiu, who was once a deputy to former Gilas coach Rajko Toroman.
Tiu said he and the rest of the team can learn a lot from the coaching maestro.
“I am so grateful that he decided to come right away when I called him. He’s been such a big help and I’m so happy working with him," the concurrent College of St. Benilde head coach added.
Goorjian is happy to help.
“Whatever, we’re doing here at Strong Group, we always want to help uplift the basketball science of Filipinos. This is for the country, for Gilas and the PBA," Goorjian said. "I would help encourage our players in the Strong Group pool to soon play in the PBA."
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