ROOSEVELT Adams nearly played for the La Salle Green Archers in what could have been the first stop of his basketball career in the Philippines.
This was bared by Danny Seigle, who was La Salle’s head of basketball operations last year.
Seigle said that the Green Archers seriously considered recruiting the 6-foot-5 product of Idaho as part of the one-and-done batch of Fil-Americans that played for the Taft-based school in last year’s UAAP tournament.
“The first guy that committed to me was Roosevelt Adams,” Seigle bared during a recent episode of the SPIN Sidelines. “He was supposed to play for La Salle.”
There was one problem.
“Unfortunately, he was nine days over the age,” Seigle learned, making the 25-year-old Adams ineligible to play for last year’s Season 82 of the UAAP for the Green Archers.
Even though Adams was ineligible, Seigle said he still was able to find a spot for Adams, who became a player for Charles Tiu and the College of Saint Benilde-Go For Gold team in the PBA D-League as well as Mighty Sports.
“I recruited him for about six months. I thought at the time, he was eligible. I found out a little later that he wasn’t,” Seigle said. “But I put him with Charles Tiu and I put him on Mighty Sports and he blossomed.”
Adams became a vital cog for Mighty Sports in its campaign in the Dubai International Championship last year, even drawing comparisons to Marcio Lassiter and Arwind Santos during that competition.
With Adams at the helm, the CSB-Go For Gold squad, meanwhile, also reached the quarterfinal round of the 2019 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.
His stellar play made heads turn, and in December of last year, Columbian selected Adams as its first pick in the regular draft, giving the team a second major offensive weapon after top star CJ Perez.
“He is the number one draft pick and I’m really happy for him. I told him about the opportunity here in the Philippines and helped him to come over. He is really taking advantage of it,” said Seigle.
Seigle said Adams would've made a big difference if he was able to play for La Salle, which fell one game short of taking the last Final Four spot in last year’s Season 82.
“I think so. Having Adams and Jamie (Malonzo) at the wings, it will definitely change the dynamics of our play,” Seigle said.
Watch the episode of the SPIN Sidelines with Seigle as guest below.
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