YENG Guiao hopes Gilas Pilipinas will likewise be blessed with the same last-minute break his own national team got heading to the Asian Games eight years ago.
With the uncertain health status of Justin Brownlee and Bennie Boatwright’s naturalization still not signed, Guiao is rooting for Tim Cone’s national squad to secure the services of Jordan Clarkson as a naturalized player for the Asiad.
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Back in 2018 in Jakarta, Guiao had the good fortune of fielding in a number of Fil-foreign players under the Asiad’s ‘passport only’ rule, among them Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Asi Taulava.
But Clarkson, then still with the Cleveland Cavaliers, being given the go-signal by the NBA at the final hour to finally suit up in a tournament not sanctioned by FIBA, was the stroke of good luck that came the way of Guiao.
“We were preparing for the worst, but fortunately naihabol ng SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas),” recalled Guiao.
Now he’s wishing the same thing happens to Cone and the rest of the Philippine team that is out to retain the basketball gold in the 20th edition of the Asiad in Nagoya, Japan.
“I hope they get him (Clarkson) to play,” said Guiao of the veteran NBA guard who just won a championship and was recently re-signed by the New York Knicks.
But Guiao is leaving it all up to the basketball federation to do its thing.
“Mahirap mag-speculate, e. Hindi ako updated or privy sa mga behind the scenes negotiations going on,” he said.
Calls for Clarkson to don the Gilas jersey grew louder given the current situation with both Brownlee and Boatwright. Another naturalized player, Ange Kouame, also not available as he’s currently locked to a contract in France.
Guiao believes though, Clarkson’s previous case – along with those of Chinese players Zhou Qi and Ding Yanyuhang – had already served as precedent.
Like Clarkson, Qi and Yanyuhang were allowed to play in the 18th Asiad despite being in the roster of the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.
“Pero mukhang mas madali na ngayon kasi marami ng NBA players ang naglalaro sa national teams nila,” he said. “And meron na din precedent yung kay Clarkson, so mas madali na siguro ngayon.”
Clarkson would go on and lead Gilas to a strong fifth place finish when the team’s campaign was over, easily the best finish of the country since placing fourth in the 2002 Busan Asiad.
Of course, back in 2018 the Fil-Am NBA player was part of the long list submitted by the SBP to the Asiad Organizing Committee in Jakarta, making him eligible to play for the Philippine team.
This time, Cone and the SBP did not make him part of the Asiad long list.
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