MACAU – Fortunately not covered by the three-year ban on PBA players with contract offers who decided to play elsewhere, Arvin Tolentino admits a return to Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league is very much an option.
The Seoul SK Knights wingman said there’s still nothing better than playing professional ball at home, though the timeline for a comeback remains up in the air.
“Of course, still home for me ang Philippines. Iba pa rin kapag nasa sariling bayan ka,” said Tolentino before leaving for Korea after the Knights were eliminated in the just concluded East Asia Super League finals.
READ Arvin Tolentino stays ready and available if Gilas comes calling
“But right now, wala pa yan sa isip ko dahil I’m still focused on my team (Seoul SK Knights).”
Tolentino left for the Korean Basketball League in May last year or three months before the PBA imposed a three-year sanction on players who refuse to sign tender offers made by their mother teams or, in the case of rookies, the ballclubs which drafted them in place of playing in other leagues, whether local or international.
Among the players affected were Jamie Malonzo and William Navarro.
Tolentino is in the first of a two-year contract he signed with the Knights.
“Two years and then I have an option to come back on the third (year),” he said.
The two-time PBA champion and former Best Player of the Conference said there are many things that can happen before that.
“Yung two years na yun baka puwede pag-isipan (PBA comeback). But right now, I can’t answer anything regarding that,” added Tolentino.
In the event he decides to return, Tolentino's playing rights now belongs to Titan Ultra, which bought the Northport franchise where the Seoul SK Knights forward last played in the PBA.
The 30-year-old wingman did admit the transition from playing in the Philippines to Korea was a lot demanding.
Tolentino said the KBL plays at a different pace compared to the PBA.
“Doon ako nag-struggle. Ang bibilis ng mga ito (Koreans). Pero inunti-unti ko sa practice. Habol lang ng habol sa mga guwardiya hanggang nasanay na,” he said
“Of course, yung strength ko pa rin is spacing the floor, doon talaga ako nag-focus. Yun ang hindi puwedeng mawala.”
While it’s been almost a year since he landed in Seoul, Tolentino admitted the adjustment isn't complete.
“I can’t say na 100 percent adjusted na ako. Until now marami pa rin (adjustments), kasi super different e. Iba yung PBA and KBL,” he said, noting that except for him and Navarro, the other Filipinos currently playing in Korea went straight from college such as Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, SJ Belangel, JD Cagulangan, among others.
“Kasi yung iba doon galing college. Ako lang yung may experience from the PBA to KBL,” he said
“So I have to adjust on my own and really be smart.”
READ Converge, Rain or Shine as PBA reps in EASL? CEO Kerins responds
Tolentino and the Seoul SK Knights (30-17) are currently running third in the standings just behind defending champion Changwon (33-15) and Anyang KGC (31-17).
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
