CHICAGO— While the Japan B.League remains very lucrative for both mixed and full-blooded Filipino hoopers, the entry way has narrowed significantly.
Beginning in the 2025-26 season, the B.League added eligible Middle Eastern players under its Asian special quota. The expansion allowed clubs to sign imports from Lebanon to their respective 3-foreign-plus-1-Asian slot rosters.
Under this new rule, Asian import jobs that could have been assumed by a
Filipino is now being held by Lebanese stars such as Ali Mezher, Sergio El Darwich, Karim Ezzeddine and Omar Jemaleddine.
WHERE TO?
This past week, Kai Sotto, Bobby Ray Parks and Kiefer Ravena announced the end of their contracts and entered free agency.
This doesn’t mean, however, that the trio will be leaving the Land of the Rising Sun.
As previously reported, Sotto is weighing a pkethora of options including Japan where the market for him is still robust given how the 7-foot-3 center has morphed into a double-double machine after recovering from a torn ACL injury.
“Maybe,” his camp told me when asked if playing in the US NCAA is possible.
Parks, meanwhile, has a handful of suitors, thanks to a highly-productive 2025-26 season where he averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game at Osaka.
BIG MONEY FOR BALLERS.
The 6-foot-4 Parks, who was making “in the range of $40,000 a month” could end up with the Nagasaki Velca, a person with knowledge of the situation told me on Friday.
Ravena, who is reportedly in Iloilo conducting clinics with pal SJ Belangel, has been excelling in the B.League since 2021 beginning with the Shiga Lakers.
After exiting Yokohama, his Japan run is far from done.
When asked where the 6-foot, 180-lb dynamite is being deployed next, a source offered scant details.
“Under nego with a Japan team,” I was told.
Which means, that like the 33-year old Parks, Kief, who is also raking in north of $40,000 a month per sources, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Banzai!
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