TO set the record straight, life as a B.League import in Japan isn’t all fun and games.
Apart from the strict athletic discipline they need to follow, Filipino players deal with adjustments never done before by basketball players of the past generations.
From learning to live in four seasons to putting up with the loneliness in the aging population of the Land of the Rising Sun, here’s how these four Pinoys show their ‘tiyaga’ to continue with their overseas careers.
Dwight Ramos
The Hokkkaido-based guard shared he had to keep up with the low temperature in the area, where it snows heavily.
“The problem was thick snow, difficult to drive, the car drifts because of the ice,” he explained to SPIN.ph. “Also spent most of the time indoors to avoid getting sick from the cold.”
Thirdy Ravena
Living in the industrial capital of Japan where major companies house their factories, every day can be quite lonely for the San-En NeoPhoenix guard.
Being in the country the longest among all Pinoy players, Thirdy admits it’s getting harder and harder to cope with the distance from his family and friends.
Greg Slaughter
While it’s a big leap for him, Greg Slaughter said he likes where he’s at right now.
Not just career-wise, but having his family migrate to Japan to live with him has been an important factor for his peace of mind.
"It's a big thing, a big difference from my playing days now to a few years ago. My kids are with me, my daughter is turning two this February. I'm just continuing playing basketball and raising my kids, it's a very big personal growth for me,” the Fukuoka import shared.
Bobby Ray Parks Jr.
Like Thirdy, for Ray-ray it was his longing to be with his immediate family that’s the hardest to deal with. Though he knows his kids and beau are worth sacrificing for.
“It’s a reminder of who I am doing it for, and I am doing it for them, so they could have a great future,” he said. “Before, I was more of doing it for myself, my sister, my mom, but now I have an immediate family.”
These problems 'beyond basketball' compared to that of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), to whom the Pinoy players classify themselves in today's sector of the society.
Other battles Pinoys face include Kiefer Ravena and Shiga Lakes giving their best to be able to get back to B1, RJ Abarrientos making brave adjustments after his transfer to Japan from Korea.
Kai Sotto taking on the role of defending against veteran pros, Matthew Wright striving to improve his game, and Roosevelt Adams keeping up with the fast-paced game in Japan.
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