Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone reminded basketball officials to be careful in offering Filipino citizenships to foreigners after noting that several imports and US-based players want to become naturalized Filipinos to gain spots in the national team.
While Cone expressed a desire to have a strong national team with help from naturalized players, he disagreed with the idea that the country should consider bringing in more imports through the naturalization process for its international campaigns.
READ Boatwright naturalization pushed by Kiko, 3 other senators
He issued the warning after getting feedback that many foreign players have approached officials of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) and some members of the coaching staff to consider them for naturalization. Cone himself received calls from players inquiring about naturalization.
“Of course they want to be naturalized and play for the national team. There’s nothing greater than that,” Cone told SPIN.ph. “But there’s a lot that goes into it, and it’s not like we can go out and naturalize every player here.”
Congress currently is conducting public hearings regarding the application for citizenship of Bennie Boatwright. And while this was going on, some have suggested that the country may have a better chance at defending its basketball title in the coming Asian Games if players like Robert Upshaw, Jaylen Johnson, and Cady Lalanne are considered for naturalization.
The 7-foot Upshaw suited up for Blackwater in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup; Johnson is trying to help Rain or Shine make it to the finals for the first time in a decade, while Lalanne powered NLEX to become the top-seeded team in the playoffs.
Upshaw ' a big man'
Cone believes Upshaw and Johnson are talented players, even remarking how awesome Upshaw was after Barangay Ginebra faced him during the elimination phase.
“Mr. Upshaw, he’s a man. He’s a very large human being, he knows how to use his body, and he moves well,” he said of the 32-year-old Fresno, California native, who led the league in four-point shots made.
Upshaw finished next to TNT’s Bol Bol in scoring among imports with a 34.4 point average, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists - numbers that, however, were not enough to lead Blackwater to the playoffs.
But Cone argued that naturalization should not come as though it can be obtained on demand. Some of the proponents for naturalization perhaps are thinking of Cambodia as an example.
Cone said the Philippines is not Cambodia which, he said, "naturalized like seven guys in a week.” That was done, he said, because Cambodia needed foreigners in time for its hosting of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games three years ago.
“We have a really long process, stringent process in naturalizing, which is the way it should be.”
Other than imports playing in the PBA, Cone admitted getting a lot calls from the US since becoming Gilas Pilipinas head coach for potential naturalized player candidates.
“There’s a lot of guys in the States, I got a couple of friends who are NBA players that wanted to be naturalized. So I get a lot of calls like that,” he said. “And we just kind of have to sift through everything, we just can’t make snap decisions. It’s a real process, so we’ll see.”
Meantime, Cone and Gilas are just awaiting for Boatwright’s naturalization to be finally approved in time for the Philippines' defense of the men's basketball gold medal in the coming Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
Boatwright, who suited up anew for the San Miguel Beermen, will become the third naturalized player in Gilas’ expanded pool joining Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, once his application is approved by Congress.
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