SEEING a diverse collection of young talent showcase their wares in the NBA Summer League, Jimmy Alapag couldn't help but fantasize for a Filipino player to one day be a part of the festivities.
More Filipinos in Summer League or NBA
Luckily, the longtime Gilas Pilipinas captain is confident that it won't be too long before a Pinoy player can truly earn his place not just in the Summer League but in the NBA as well.
"I think we're right on track and I hope that my presence in the Summer League continues to be a platform for Filipino players," he told Radyo5's Power and Play with Noli Eala on Saturday.
"Obviously, I don't play anymore but hopefully it blazes the trail for some to get that opportunity soon."
Alapag's sentiments are rooted from witnessing a number of international talents in the Summer League who are trying to crack a roster spot in the NBA.
Just take Sacramento, for example, which had four international talents in its roster, namely India's Princepal Singh, Nigeria's Chimezie Metu, Portugal's Neemias Queta, Greece's Alex Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of two-time NBA MVP Giannis.
Alapag had a golden chance to work with these individuals as the Kings completed a perfect 6-0 romp to claim the Summer League championship.
Elsewhere, numerous international talent also turned heads, among them are Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun (Turkey) and Usman Garuba (Spain), Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga (Democratic Republic of Congo), Indiana Pacers' Chris Duarte (Dominican Republic), Toronto Raptors' Precious Achiuwa (Nigeria), Miami Heat's Omer Yurtseven (Turkey), Chicago Bulls' Marko Simonovic (Montenegro), Milwaukee Bucks' Jordan Nwora (Nigeria), Phoenix Suns' Kyle Alexander (Canada), Utah Jazz' Udoka Azubuike (Nigeria), and Dallas Mavericks' Eugene Omoruyi (Canada).
So is the Philippines falling behind?
Alapag begs to disagree, all the more with a number of Filipino talents heading abroad.
Kai Sotto is set to begin his National Basketball League (NBL) stint in Australia with the Adelaide 36ers starting in November.
The same goes for Thirdy Ravena (San-En NeoPhoenix), Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Javi Gomez de Liano (Ibaraki Robots), Juan Gomez de Liano (Earthfriends Tokyo Z), and Kemark Carino (Aomori Wat's), all of whom decided to join the Japanese B.League this season.
Meanwhile, Kobe Paras and Bobby Ray Parks are still exploring their options abroad and have yet to link up with a club.
"I think it's great for Philippine basketball that some of these younger players are getting an opportunity to showcase their talents abroad. Also, I think those kids should understand that a huge responsibility comes with that, representing a country that has a huge passion for the game," Alapag said.
"At the end of the day, no matter where they play, they're still representing the country and I think that's something we should embrace. It's a good opportunity for them and it's great for Philippine basketball."
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