MANILA, Philippines - TNT KaTropa will have its own big import in former UCLA and Georgetown player Joshua Smith as the Tropang Texters return into action in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup versus the Alaska Milk Aces in a road showdown in Legazpi, Albay Saturday.
Smith is a 300-pounder measured at 6-foot-9 9/16 in his official height measurement at the PBA office Tuesday. He has had a few days of workouts with the Texters already.
“He’s our first choice. We’re not able to sign him right away as he had to finish his obligation with his NBA D-League team,” said TNT manager Virgil Villavicencio of Smith, a Rio Grande Valley Vipers mainstay.
A McDonald’s All-American in 2010 and a PAC-10 All-Freshman awardee in 2011, Smith can well be a good matchup with the wide, bull-strong imports of Meralco (Alex Stepheson) and Star (Ricardo Ratliffe).
“Josh Smith is a big player who can run,” said Villavicencio.
Smith, 24, is TNT’s third import in the tourney after Lou Amundson and Donte Greene. The Texters went 1-1 with Amundson and 5-2 with Greene.
At 6-3, TNT is among the teams that have clinched an outright playoff berths along with San Miguel Beer (5-1), Barangay Ginebra (5-1), Star (7-2) and Meralco (7-2).
The tournament resumes tomorrow with a twinbill at the Cuneta Astrodome pitting SMB versus NLEX at 4:15 p.m. then Ginebra against Rain or Shine at 7 p.m.