Local or imported?

The raging debate in local hoops today is whether the SBP should recruit a Filipino or a foreigner to take over the Gilas reins, looking forward to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Coaching trends are continuously changing in the evolving world of basketball. Whoever will coach the Philippines must be in tune with the latest nuances, regardless of nationality.

At the FIBA World Cup last year, there were 12 foreign coaches who called the shots for countries that weren’t their own. Four were Americans – Mike Taylor for Poland, Will Voigt for Angola, Joe Stiebing for Jordan and Nick Nurse for Canada. Three were from Argentina – Fernando Duro for Venezuela, Julio Lamas for Japan and Nestor Garcia for the Dominican Republic. Two were from Italy – Sergio Scariolo for Spain and Paolo Povia for the Ivory Coast. The others were Croatian Aleksandar Petrovic for Brazil, Israeli Neno Ginzburg for the Czech Republic and Portuguese Mario Palma for Tunisia. Only 37 percent of the World Cup coaches were foreigners. Of the top 10 finishers, only three countries had foreign coaches – champion Spain, No. 6 Czech Republic and No. 8 Poland.

American Ron Jacobs was the most successful foreigner to coach the Philippines. He piloted the last national team to win the FIBA Asia Cup in 1985-86 and also won the 1982 Asian Youth crown and two Jones Cup titles for the country. Other foreigners who’ve coached the Philippines were Norman Black, Tim Cone, Tab Baldwin, Mark Dickel and Rajko Toroman.

At the moment, the Gilas head coaching job is vacant. Baldwin has been appointed Gilas program director and another American, Alex Compton, full-time Gilas assistant coach. Several foreigners have submitted resumes, applying for the vacant position. Three 2019 FIBA World Cup coaches are reportedly open to join Gilas – Ginzburg, Australia’s Andrej Lemanis and Voigt. Additionally, former Slovenia national coach Radovan Trifunovic has shown interest.

Here are 10 factors to consider in choosing the next Gilas head coach, local or imported.

• Up-to-date with technology. He must be knowledgeable in the latest coaching trends and ready to apply whatever is relevant to uplift the playing standards of the national team. Understanding the game at the highest level is critical because at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the best coaches will show up.

• Expert in international game. He must know the rules, nuances and intricacies of the FIBA game which is different from the NBA or PBA.

• Appreciates Filipino brand of play. He must be familiar with how the game is played in the Philippines. He must know what makes Filipino players tick and use this appreciation to create a gameplan that will work on the global stage.

• Ability to communicate and relate with players. It isn’t just a matter of translation in a foreigner’s case to get a message across. He must open up his heart to the players, get to know them intimately to be able to motivate them the right way.

• No baggage. He shouldn’t be weighed down or emotionally restrained by the past. He must be transparent in whatever he has done, good or bad.

• Values and morals. He must command and earn respect. That means he can’t show a dark side. He will stand as the leader of the national team and the whole country will look up to him as the man to rally behind.

• Respect authority, peers and subordinates. He may be given a free hand in directing the national team but it won’t mean turning away from guidelines set by the SBP and its officials. The dangerous thing about this high-profile job is it could get into the coach’s head.

• Experience. He can’t come in with limited experience. He will need the lessons from history to be up to the challenge of the World Cup.

• Solid reputation in basketball circles. He must be highly-regarded for his coaching ability, integrity and principles. He must know how to build and nurture positive relationships with SBP officials, PBA officials, FIBA officials and media.

• Willing to invest full-time in the job. Being the Gilas head coach is a challenge. He must be prepared to devote every waking moment of his life on the job to accomplish what is expected by the SBP and the Filipino fans. There can be no turning back.