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    Greg Slaughter doesn't need clearance from PBA to play overseas

    SBP sees no legal hurdles to Slaughter signing with an overseas ballclub
    Jul 15, 2020

    GREG Slaughter's decision to sign with a top European-based agent has raised the possibility that the seven-footer is headed to play elsewhere other than in the PBA.

    Slaughter announced last week that he has signed with BeoBasket, owned and run by Serbian lawyer and agent Misko Raznatovic and regarded as the biggest agency in the world, with top NBA stars among its clients.

    The enigmatic big man has been tight-lipped about his plans, although the signing is just the latest sign that Slaughter is leaning towards playing in an overseas league and not with Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.

    Such possibility has also raised questions on whether Slaughter can actually walk away from the PBA without any legal hurdles; or at the very least, require clearance from both the PBA and his mother ballclub, in this case Ginebra.

    The answer? There are no hurdles to Slaughter signing with another club in a league other than the PBA.


    If he does decide to play abroad, Slaughter does need a clearance from Fiba under the world basketball body's rules on international transfers.

    That clearance will be provided by Fiba upon consultation with the national federation with jurisdiction on the last league the player had played in, which in this case is the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

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    Sought for clarification, the SBP concurred that it is the body that will provide clear Slaughter - or any other player headed to play overseas for that matter - upon the request of the national federation where he is headed.

    Will he need a clearance from the PBA, too? Or from Barangay Ginebra? Nope.

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      If and when a request for clearance for Slaughter is received by the SBP, the most it will do is reach out to the PBA and inquire if the former Ateneo and University of the Visayas slotman is 'contractually obligated' by any ballclub in the league.

      If he is not, the clearance will be granted, the SBP said.

      Slaughter's contract with Ginebra expired last January 31 and he has since taken a self-imposed sabbatical without signing a fresh deal.

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        Ginebra did tender an offer within 30 days after Slaughter's contract ended to keep the signing rights on the big man under league rules. But the scope of these signing rights is limited only to the PBA, the league admitted.

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        With no live contract, there is no legal impediment to Slaughter signing with another club outside the PBA.

        As for the clearance, Rhea Navarro, the International Relations and Eligibility Head of the Qatar basketball federation, said Fiba rules are very clear on the grounds that can cause a request to be denied, none of which applies to Slaughter.

        See the Fiba rule:


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        In fact, the Fiba rules on international transfers are explicit that not even 'monetary disputes' are enough grounds for a player to be denied a clearance. Look.

        Based on those rules, the SBP sees no impediment to Slaughter being denied a license in the event he signs with a ballclub based overseas.

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