CHICAGO - I am pulling for William Navarro to be able to play basketball overseas where I am confident he will represent the Philippines with grace and aplomb on and off the court.
I am also hoping that he can monetize his unique skills to the fullest extent that free enterprise will allow.
But first things first.
He needs to untangle the rope that ties him with Gilas. Unless that is unraveled, our dreams and aspirations for Navarro to conquer foreign shores will unlikely come to fruition.
[READ: Kai fumes as Navarro denied SBP clearance]
The pleas from prominent players including Kai Sotto that Navarro be allowed to play in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) sounds good and looks sexy in the court of public opinion.
But the emotional argument has no legs to stand on in the court of law.
"Navarro has an existing contract so legally they (the Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas) are in the right here," a prominent sports attorney told SPIN.ph.
"SBP is the entity that issues the Letter of Clearance. If a player has an existing contract, there's no choice but to deny. That's the purpose of the LOC, to determine if a player has an existing contract," the lawyer, who requested anonymity, explained further.
As long as he is contractually married to Gilas and his PBA mother team, NorthPort, Fiba will not sanction all attempts Navarro will make to play overseas.
"IF A 'PROFESSIONAL' HAS AN EXISTING CONTRACT, IT SHOULD BE HONORED," SBP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SONNY BARRIOS SAID."
I agree.
The SBP's refusal to write an LOC for Navarro is fueled only by a desire to exercise its rights to protect its assets. Otherwise, there will be a prison break and the Gilas' pool will always be drained.
By the same token, it is easy to understand the fans' outrage.
The overseas departures of brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Jordan Heading, Bobby Ray Parks and Dwight Ramos have created a tainted picture where the SBP appears to be selective in enforcing the rules and the issuing of the precious LOC.
Not necessarily true.
The above-mentioned players' circumstances are different, and through good faith negotiations, they were somehow able to wiggle out of their respective contracts.
This is something Navarro's reps did not do, sources told me.

If they had only quietly taken advantage of the accessibility and availability of SBP officials, some form of agreement or buy-out could have been ironed out and Navarro would have already been in Seoul, South Korea by now.
Instead, the SBP felt offended, and rightly so, that Navarro's camp suddenly announced a flight to the KBL without its prior knowledge and tacit approval.
There is a lot not to like about how the SBP runs things. This issue isn't one of those.
AND PLEASE, SPARE ME FROM THE ARGUMENT THAT NAVARRO SHOULD BE RELEASED BECAUSE HE ISN'T GETTING ANY PLAYING MINUTES ANYWAY.
If that line of thinking were to be followed, does that mean all store clerks who are paid to work eight-hour shifts can just go home early when there are no customers?
Also, a better-paying job does not justify dishonoring a contract.
I have a good sense that Navarro will eventually be able to frolic overseas and earn the big bucks he needs to help take care of his family.
But his saga will be a teachable moment for other players who might travel the same road moving forward.
The SBP is not in the business of holding back the growth of its players. But you can count on the federation to always keep a stiff arm to those who blatantly ignore their contractual obligations.
If you really, truly want to be free, don't sign on the dotted line.
All this kerfuffle surrounding William Navarro boils down to just that.
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