TAB Baldwin denied rumors he had a hand in the exodus of Filipino players, which is said to be the main reason behind his exit as Gilas Pilipinas head coach earlier this year.
Baldwin on Saturday said he never served as ‘agent’ to the players since that will also also affect the Gilas Pilipinas program.
See SBP chief blames Tab Baldwin for Gilas' downward spiral
“That’s absolute nonsense,” answered Baldwin during the Power and Play program on Saturday. “I don’t want those players to leave the Gilas program.
“My job is not to act as an agent for any particular facet of the industry that they are going into and I don’t do that in any shape or form,” Baldwin added.
Tab Baldwin calls the allegations nonsense.
Still, Baldwin said he will not stop anyone from making decisions they believe is the best for their future.
“As far as their decision about their future, I want players to have options. And I want them to be free to exercise their options. It’s not in my best interest, it’s not in, obviously, the PBA’s best interest, that players going overseas. But what is my role as the Ateneo head coach? My role and as an educator in the university of Ateneo is to help my players achieve their full potential so that they can go out and get the best jobs for themselves that they want,” said Baldwin.
Baldwin parted ways with Gilas last January in the midst of some members of the pool accepting contracts to play overseas, and there was a buzz about Baldwin’s role in their departure abroad.
The former Gilas Pilipinas coach said his job as a coach goes only as far as develop the players for them to get the best possible opportunity, and Baldwin said will only go as far as advise the players on their career path.
“All I do is try to educate my players and then if they come to me for advice about their future, I’ll offer that. But that’s between me and the player. But in no way I’m acting on behalf of any entity outside the Ateneo university,” said Baldwin.
“I don’t want to compare myself to a professor, but if I were a professor at Ateneo, and I was in the music school or the engineering school or the law school, my job should be to educate my students to be the best of their potential so that they can go to the market place and secure the best position for themselves,” said Baldwin.
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