TIM Cone is delighted to see naturalized player candidate Bennie Boatwright in good shape upon joining San Miguel in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
Cone said Boatwright showing no rust after a brief rest following his stint with the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the Korean Basketball League, is a good sign since his naturalization papers can be processed in time for the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
READ Boatwright Senate hearings scheduled in May, says SBP
“I hope his papers get done. He looks good and he’s playing well,” Cone replied when asked how he sees the 6-foot-10 Boatwright as he makes his comeback games with the Beermen.
“So I do hope his papers get done, hopefully by May.”
Boatwright’s naturalization papers remain pending in the Senate as he was not around when the Upper House approved on third and final reading the separate bills seeking to grant Philippine citizenship to basketball players Maodo ‘Malick’ Diouf and Elizabeth Jeanette Means last month.
Both Diouf and Means were personally present during the hearing.
The possibility of Boatwright teaming up with naturalized player Justin Brownlee when Gilas Pilipinas defends the basketball gold in the Asiad looms in the horizon since the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas disclosed the Asiad Organizing Committee has allowed the ‘passport’ rule along with a three-year residency requirement.
READ Gilas choices aplenty under Asiad's passport+residency eligibility rule
Citing clarification from the Philippine Olympic Committee, the SBP said there might be a chance of Boatwright being allowed to play once his naturalization papers are approved since he’s been playing for San Miguel since the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup.
Cone believes with the way Boatwright has been playing for the Beermen, the 29-year-old University of Southern California alum can be the perfect complement to Brownlee at Gilas.
“Justin is still playing Justin Brownlee basketball, so we’ll see,” he said.
In two games so far for San Miguel, Boatwright is averging 39.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
Brownlee on the other hand, is submitting all-around numbers of 31.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists as Barangay Ginebra won for the fifth straight time by beating Titan Ultra, 119-107, on Sunday night to clinch a quarterfinal spot in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Cone expects Boatwright, being the younger of the two, to eventually inherit the mantle of leadership from Brownlee when the time comes.
“Obviously, at some point we have to go younger, and we’ll see where we go from there,” he said.
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