Filipino Players in Foreign Leagues

[Silent Killer]

What commitments in B. League that he jeopardize his Gilas stint?
Will players choose their mother team in foreign leagues than playing in NT?

promotion, videos, commercials, community.. it’s understandable why he miss and he understood tab’s decision for him not to be included in ACQ and OQT. it will be unfair for those who attend from February onwards.. plus he has this minor injury that needs to be heal then..

[IPC]

What commitments in B. League that he jeopardize his Gilas stint?
Will players choose their mother team in foreign leagues than playing in NT?

promotion, videos, commercials, community.. it’s understandable why he miss and he understood tab’s decision for him not to be included in ACQ and OQT. it will be unfair for those who attend from February onwards.. plus he has this minor injury that needs to be heal then..

So far, the commitments haven't caused Thirdy to miss the qualifiers, at least directly. For the June window, he wasn't invited (even though he got here by May 9), like I had said, and I dunno if he was invited for the November window either (and note that Japan skipped that window, as well as their whole group), so we can't really use him as a precedent just yet. Same with the GDL brothers for this tournament; they weren't invited.

As for whether players choose their mother team in foreign leagues than playing in Gilas, let's just wait and see.

[zairex]

So far, the commitments haven't caused Thirdy to miss the qualifiers, at least directly. For the June window, he wasn't invited (even though he got here by May 9), like I had said, and I dunno if he was invited for the November window either (and note that Japan skipped that window, as well as their whole group), so we can't really use him as a precedent just yet. Same with the GDL brothers for this tournament; they weren't invited.

As for whether players choose their mother team in foreign leagues than playing in Gilas, let's just wait and see.

Well Kai was given that previlage of suiting up with little preparation. Considering Thirdy knows the system and is needed by Gilas.

Thirdy return to Philippines last week of May or early June not May 9.

https://www.rappler.com/sports/gilas-pilipinas/thirdy-ravena-no-bubble-invitation-return-philippines-may-2021

Thirdy commitment for B.Leagie keep him from Gilas not injury

https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/baldwin-leaves-gilas-door-open-for-thirdy-ravena/208026

[paolylo]

With PBA's new rules, we can expect much fewer players opting to play overseas. Only a few really good ones will do it. Many who will likely only get one or two year/seasons contracts will not push through.

100% agree, but let's go over the new rules.

1. Unrestricted free agents - Seems fair to ban a player for 5 years, but if a player can play manage to sign contracts totaling to 5 years outside the PBA... does it really matter? Assuming a 28-year old player (like Parks) would manage to play 'til 33 if his mother team matches another team's offer, take the ban and hope his new team abroad offers multi-year contracts. For that matter, there's still the Philippine NBL or MPBL if they don't get lucky in Japan or wherever. Kiefer is 27 and no one knows if he'll be signed after a year so my best guess is any PBA team can pick him up next year.

2. P20M fine + lifetime ban - So all a long, the PBA never had any rule that prevented players from signing elsewhere. This new rule is basically an admission that the league was butthurt.

3. Lowering the minimum age to 19 and "draft dodging" - Expect this rule to change if Kai Sotto makes it to the NBA (or continues to play in the NBL) but won't be offered another contract after 2024 for whatever reason because this rule has "stupid" written all over it. The idea that a PBA player has to be drafted into the league in order to play is the exact reason why the sporting club culture is only limited by their finances and its own league's rules in signing players. The UAAP/NCAA takes a hit because we'll know who really wants to be a "student-athlete" and who genuinely believes pro basketball is their life's purpose. There will be a log-jam of talent in a few years because of guys like Rhenz Abando who come out of no where and are pro-ready at 20 (he'll be 23 soon) will compete for roster spots with guys who doing their compliance in the PBA D-League. The entire rule is an overreaction to losing 6 players (and counting). Not all 47 B.League teams from B1 to the third division will have signed a Filipino, there are only 12 PBA teams that, at one point, have treated 25 year-olds as "projects"... so now it'll be 23 year-olds . The PBA should have done this 20 years ago and it took the B.League's existence for them to realize that there's something wrong with forcing a player to play seven games after having played 5 years in college.

[CoJ]

100% agree, but let's go over the new rules.

1. Unrestricted free agents - Seems fair to ban a player for 5 years, but if a player can play manage to sign contracts totaling to 5 years outside the PBA... does it really matter? Assuming a 28-year old player (like Parks) would manage to play 'til 33 if his mother team matches another team's offer, take the ban and hope his new team abroad offers multi-year contracts. For that matter, there's still the Philippine NBL or MPBL if they don't get lucky in Japan or wherever. Kiefer is 27 and no one knows if he'll be signed after a year so my best guess is any PBA team can pick him up next year.

2. P20M fine + lifetime ban - So all a long, the PBA never had any rule that prevented players from signing elsewhere. This new rule is basically an admission that the league was butthurt.

3. Lowering the minimum age to 19 and "draft dodging" - Expect this rule to change if Kai Sotto makes it to the NBA (or continues to play in the NBL) but won't be offered another contract after 2024 for whatever reason because this rule has "stupid" written all over it. The idea that a PBA player has to be drafted into the league in order to play is the exact reason why the sporting club culture is only limited by their finances and its own league's rules in signing players. The UAAP/NCAA takes a hit because we'll know who really wants to be a "student-athlete" and who genuinely believes pro basketball is their life's purpose. There will be a log-jam of talent in a few years because of guys like Rhenz Abando who come out of no where and are pro-ready at 20 (he'll be 23 soon) will compete for roster spots with guys who doing their compliance in the PBA D-League. The entire rule is an overreaction to losing 6 players (and counting). Not all 47 B.League teams from B1 to the third division will have signed a Filipino, there are only 12 PBA teams that, at one point, have treated 25 year-olds as "projects"... so now it'll be 23 year-olds . The PBA should have done this 20 years ago and it took the B.League's existence for them to realize that there's something wrong with forcing a player to play seven games after having played 5 years in college.

-that 5 year ban could easily be negated if the player can secure a 5 yr contract/play 5 yrs abroad, provided that the ban would start the moment the player is eligible to be drafted and not the end of the player's last contract

-lowering the draft eligibility age would hurt college programs, the likes of dwight ramos could easily be given a junmar fajardo type of deal +perks for him to join the other empire. Atleast it could end the 25 yr old student athlete paradigm and this would also hurt college boosters, though they could offer tax free perks (since hidden/undeclared, wait SMC and MVP also does this, nevermind, boosters have to sweeten their offer)

-PBA board will look like idiots once the likes of Kai, Lebron etc makes it to the NBA/NBL/Euro/CBA, especially if they become key contributors (can compete in the NBA/high level leagues but cant even play in the world's second oldest pro basketball league, second only to the NBA) rule has bitter, knee jerk and vindictive written all over it

[IPC]

-that 5 year ban could easily be negated if the player can secure a 5 yr contract/play 5 yrs abroad, provided that the ban would start the moment the player is eligible to be drafted and not the end of the player's last contract

-lowering the draft eligibility age would hurt college programs, the likes of dwight ramos could easily be given a junmar fajardo type of deal +perks for him to join the other empire. Atleast it could end the 25 yr old student athlete paradigm and this would also hurt college boosters, though they could offer tax free perks (since hidden/undeclared, wait SMC and MVP also does this, nevermind, boosters have to sweeten their offer)

-PBA board will look like idiots once the likes of Kai, Lebron etc makes it to the NBA/NBL/Euro/CBA, especially if they become key contributors (can compete in the NBA/high level leagues but cant even play in the world's second oldest pro basketball league, second only to the NBA) rule has bitter, knee jerk and vindictive written all over it

I hope you're correct on Kai and LeBron in that they'll make a high level league. As for Dwight, I hope Tab's not bullshitting about him being able to play for a Euro team, and that Tab can use his connections to get Dwight signed, even for a low-level Euro team.

The Fil-foreigner rule covers the GDLs, Dwight, and Kobe. This is not gonna go well. I hope all of them get and keep a spot in high-level leagues.

[IPC]

I'm not sure Kai is a player you feed inside. Contrary to many comments here, he had a lot of attempts in the paint. He just couldn't just finish many times against physicality even when he was head shoulders above everybody. He is better off having a dribble or two to use his skills and to have a higher chance of getting a call. A floater might also be good for him to have his shot off before defense comes in.

This is what I see too, there are many posessions where Kai simply couldn't handle passes to the paint, one of the worst was when he fumbled a pass from Kouame in the Indonesia game after a slight bump from his midget defender. He also shot a horrid 48.4% in the paint in the entire fiba stint which while can be chalked up to rustiness, it is also a valid reason why the "bwakaw guards" that Kai fans like to scapegoat just can't keep feeding him in the paint just like they do with Kouame. It is one of the things I disagree about in this otherwise really good video: https://youtu.be/rc2Ij26dXWk I don't think the guards are underdeveloped but we simply expect to see too much from Kai when we should be happy if he can shoot 3/4 from the inside at this stage, playing in the seniors, he's no Luka Doncic.

I got a feeling a lot of casuals believe Kai should be given the freedom to go trigger happy in post isolation plays while giving little regards to statistical analysis, they fail to account he isn't playing in under games anymore and efficiency takes precedence in the senior games over development. If you're shooting 48.4% as a bigman in the paint, it's only natural that your teammates will look for other scoring options instead of passing it to you, you first need to establish being a scoring threat before you get 20 shot attempts that Kai fans expect you to. Kai Sotto is not a Haddadi type of player, he's really more like Zhou Qi and many other Chinese bigs like one commenter here pointed, he really needs to compensate with his inherent lack of physicality by developing a perimeter oriented game ala Chet Holmgren or the Pokusevski guy asap. Kai's lack of physicality is more biologically rooted than systemic, his peak physical form is Zhou Qi, not Joel Embiid which is more possible for Kouame, whoever is invested in developing Kai should take that into account and work around it.

I think a play style more fit for him might probably be ala KG, Dirk, or Chris Bosh offensively. All were perimeter oriented fours, who were comfortable in faceup situations (although KG and Dirk developed a post game and a great turnaround jumper).

Chet or Pokuševski, I dunno if that can be realistic for Kai. Let's leave that to our smaller bigs.

[digitalsuperman]

It seems Kai's 2022 NBA Draft rank keeps on dropping. Is this a concern? He's at #90 now.

https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2022-2nd-round/

expected since he did not play exceptional in OQT.

[empyreanmaze]

I think a play style more fit for him might probably be ala KG, Dirk, or Chris Bosh offensively. All were perimeter oriented fours, who were comfortable in faceup situations (although KG and Dirk developed a post game and a great turnaround jumper).

Chet or Pokuševski, I dunno if that can be realistic for Kai. Let's leave that to our smaller bigs.

Realistically, it would be good if he could develop into a rich man's Anderson Varejao or 80% of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, him surpassing either of those players would be just a bonus for me, those 2 def had a more fruitful nba career than both Zhou Qi and Hadadi had. Let's just hope the nba still have room for these kind of players. Porzingis and Markanen comparisons are out of the question at this point imo, while my most optimistic hope is for him to develop Holmgren/Pokuševski style because that's what the market wants in modern basketball and probably what it'd take for Kai to negotiate a starter role, I'd want Kai to have a career where at least he'd play more than 8 minutes per game and be more than a garbage time player, I'm just dreaming of course. It is very very likely that he'll develop into an Ilgauskas best case scenario.

[jasper222]

expected since he did not play exceptional in OQT.

I'd say scouts with a discerning eye will see that he played his role very well like an Ayton. At least one of the concerns about needing the ball to be effective is out of the way. In terms of stats, he's not too shabby. For example, this guy is a bust, but Dragan Bender averaged 2p 1r in 10 mins of play the year before he was drafted 4th by the Suns. Granted it was only in 7 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv, but still. I'm also looking at various forums and sites like r/NBA_Draft and they were high on him.

[digitalsuperman]

I'd say scouts with a discerning eye will see that he played his role very well like an Ayton. At least one of the concerns about needing the ball to be effective is out of the way. In terms of stats, he's not too shabby. For example, this guy is a bust, but Dragan Bender averaged 2p 1r in 10 mins of play the year before he was drafted 4th by the Suns. Granted it was only in 7 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv, but still. I'm also looking at various forums and sites like r/NBA_Draft and they were high on him.

nope and it wasnt kai's fault. they barely had time to prepare for OQT. but he did play well against Serbia. but i guess it wasn't enough.could be due to lack of experience. however, hope he performs well for adelaide that should help his draft stock.

[thatweirdguy]

I'd say scouts with a discerning eye will see that he played his role very well like an Ayton. At least one of the concerns about needing the ball to be effective is out of the way. In terms of stats, he's not too shabby. For example, this guy is a bust, but Dragan Bender averaged 2p 1r in 10 mins of play the year before he was drafted 4th by the Suns. Granted it was only in 7 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv, but still. I'm also looking at various forums and sites like r/NBA_Draft and they were high on him.

Man I was so high on Bender. Dude was the quickest most agile 7 footer I saw play. Too bad he was mentally weak and got bullied by almost everybody.

People used to think of Ayton as a taller more athletic Jahlil Okafor. Bad defensively and only interested in posting up because of what they saw in college. Having a good roster and coaching around him really unlocked his game.

[yogaflame]

The weakness of Kai is his strength and stamina. I notice that in Asia cup qualifier and OQT. He is playing well but after a few minutes he looks tired. Those are his only weakness right now.I hope he take advantage his NBL stint. And take advantage Australias love for swimming. Swimming workout is a good cardio workout. Tim Duncan favoritie workout is swimming that is why he has good strength and cardio. And I hope he take advatage Australian food especially beef, that will make him stronger.

[Trae Yong]

And Kai has 11 months to up that ranking. Let's be patient and watch how he develops in the NBL. I hope he develops his strength and stamina, while upping his defensive instincts.

lol eh iyan din pinagsasabi niyo last year nung asa Ignite si pabebe niyo eh, tipong "wait till the games start ..." tanggapin na kasi ang masakit na katotohanan na ampaw iyang beybi niyo, tapos pag walang impact sa nbl isusumpa niyo naman iyung mga coaches at kakampi niya.

[Trae Yong]

But here is the thing the NBL has over 50 players (imports, locals overseas) who need to enter the border for training camp in Mid September. And so far Kai is the only one entering the border this early so much for the excuse..

bata pa lang sinungaling na lol