Poaching?
The PBA bigwigs recently travelled to the Land of the Rising Sun to meet with their Japan B-League counterparts to discuss player transfers, which the PBA says, are detrimental to the league and to the national team as well.
They went short of accusing the Japanese league of poaching players saying, in part, by “engaging Philippine players without prior clearance from our league”.
The PBA is a private enterprise and not playing in the league is not against national interest. Rather, it is against the selfish interests of the PBA’s powers-that-be. What becomes national interest are the players’ salaries thru their dollar remittances that contribute to the local economy.
These players who had moved to Japan opted not to renew their deals with their PBA clubs, likewise, collegiate players eligible for the PBA draft had chosen to play abroad. Unless these players are bound by contracts, it’s their choice and decision to play overseas. Opportunities for a much better payday are rare.
Furthermore, exposure to international play would be beneficial to players if ever they’re called to wear the country’s colors.
The league commissioner had said something that the PBA might die if player migration is not addressed. For all intents and purposes, it is already dying because of the skewed trades approved by the board that would only benefit six teams. The remaining six teams had become sort of an agri farm where players are harvested as the need arises, further burying them at the bottom of the dump.
Players want to play for a competitive team and considering the current system, they would prefer going overseas. When a conference opens, we already know which two teams will battle for the title. No wonder Alaska left the group.
The PBA of bygone days, although there was a bitter Crispa-Toyota rivalry, had more parity with teams like U-Tex, Seven-Up, Royal Tru-Orange and Tanduay not far behind. Because Mon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben were the most dominant bigs, the league did not allow them to be on the same team. That’s not the case today.
Then we have Manny Pacquiao. Pacman is a legendary boxer and he’s the best during his prime. But the moment he got drafted 11th during the 2014 PBA Draft and became a player-coach, the league became a big joke. Yes, he loves basketball but basketball did not reciprocate the feeling. Boxing is his forte and he is a wizard at this sport more than Dumbledore and Voldemort combined.
The league should fix their system and perhaps find a solution to the supposed “poaching” if they wish to continue existing. Don’t fault players seeking greener pastures overseas.
- Latest
