ADD Joseph Yeo to the list of players left out in the free agent market just before the PBA kicked off its 43rd season two weeks ago.
The 34-year-old Yeo, a prolific gunner, parted ways with Meralco after an uneventful one-season stint with the Bolts.
Team management confirmed to SPIN.ph that Yeo is now a free agent as the Bolts no longer renewed his contract when it expired last October 31.
The third pick overall in the 2006 rookie draft by Coca-Cola, Yeo joins a number of veteran players who found themselves without a team for the 2017-18 season, among them Carlo Lastimosa, Chris Ellis, Jonas Villanueva, Chris Lutz, MacMac Cardona, Denok Miranda, Jeric Teng, Gary David, Aaron Aban, Jason Deutchman and Josan Nimes.
Lastimosa and Villanueva still have live contracts with NLEX, but were relegated to the unrestricted free agent list, which means any team can get their services without giving up anybody in return.
Yeo was acquired by Meralco prior to the league’s 42nd season in a straight up trade with Globalport for former slam-dunk champion Rey Guevarra.
The former La Salle standout averaged 9.3 points per game in a 12-year career, but was never really utilized in his brief, one-year stay with the Bolts.
He was in the team’s roster though, when it returned to the season-ending Governors Cup finals where it lost anew to Barangay Ginebra in the deciding Game 7 of the championship, 101-96, played before a record crowd of more than 54,000 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
Aside from Coca-Cola, Yeo also suited up for Sta. Lucia, San Miguel, Air21, Barangay Ginebra, Barako Bull, and Globalport.
He won a championship while with Sta. Lucia in the 2007 Philippine Cup.
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