CHICAGO - An April 15 visit to the Philippines got social media abuzz with speculation. that basketball blue-blood Remy Martin might enter the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft.
LOOK:
Well, it wasn't downright fake news, but all the kerfuffle turned out to be just a harmless tease. At least for now.
As much as the 6-foot, 175-lb court general will be honored to play in his mom's home soil, the Fil-Am point guard won't be among the names league commissioner Willie Marcial will call on the stage this September.
READ Remy Martin pays homage to PH roots after NCAA title win
A person familiar with the situation and who met with Martin when he was in Manila told me on Tuesday morning that "the PBA will be a nice fallback," but Remy's plan is to continue playing overseas.
Having recently recovered from an undisclosed injury, Martin was last seen in action as the leading scorer of the Keflavik ballclub that won the 2024 Icelandic Cup.
ALL CLEAR.
Although he does have all the requisite paperwork to qualify for the PBA Draft, the main purpose of Martin's Manila visit was for "charity work" while also devoting time to meet friends and family.
The possibility of playing for Gilas Pilipinas was also "explored," I was told.
It's easy to understand Pinoy hoops fans' interest and enthusiasm over Martin. He really has the "five-star credentials," a term that's being tossed around loosely these days.
A high school star at powerhouse Sierra Canyon, Martin played college ball at Arizona State from 2017 to 2021 when he averaged 14.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 118 games.
But his stardom took off in Kansas where his heady playmaking and clutch 3 late led the Jayhawks past the University of North Carolina, 72-69, in the 2022 NCAA championship game
THE MONEY DOESN'T ADD UP.
While Martin will definitely add star power in the PBA, a big hurdle to his entry is the pay.
Even as a top three pick, he won't be making more than P420,000 a month in salary. More can be made through incentives and bonuses at the MVP Group or SMC bloc but as a high pick he will likely end up in the clutches of Blackwater or Terrafirma.
Yikes.
I don't think that a combo of low salary and lots of losing is a reliable bait to catch elite talent.
It's the same pay scale that has discouraged former UP Fighting Maroon Quentin Millora-Brown from entering the PBA Draft.
Seeing Martin and QMB in the PBA Draft sure is a tantalizing thought. Unfortunately, it's not gonna happen for now.
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