CHICAGO — After a stellar Gilas Pilipinas debut at this month’s FIBA Asian qualifying tournament, Mike Phillips has been inundated by overseas offers.
Suitors come from basketball hotbeds in Europe and Australia.
In Japan, though, “Motor Mike” is as highly sought after as bluefin tuna, with as many as four B League teams making overtures, per multiple sources.
READ San Juan fumes as Mike Phillips leaving Knights
His camp wouldn’t confirm to me if a deal is in the works, saying only that “Mike likes a few of the teams in Japan.”
This is what mystery detectives often refer to as a clue.
While his agent representation, in close coordination with his family, is evaluating the best option, Mike is in Manila recharging his batteries and keeping in shape.
JUST BUSINESS, NOTHING PERSONAL.
On the heels of his abrupt departure from the San Juan Knights of the MPBL, the Phillips camp addressed the issue publicly for the first time.
“We love Senator Jinggoy and we are grateful for Mike’s time at San Juan.
“We exercised a clause in the contract that allowed player positioning in a short career. And we did so promptly and respectfully.”
In his first Gilas tour of duty against New Zealand and Australia earlier this month, “Motor Mike” hummed like precious air conditioning on a sweltering hot summer night.
Despite logging only 17.7 minutes a game as a national team rookie, Phillips averaged 4.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks.
Conversant in a few languages, it looks like the two-time UAAP champion now needs to bolster his foreign vocabulary beginning with this beautiful word.
Konnichiwa.
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