The SBP dilemma
There are two kinds of pain in this world: pain that hurts, pain that alters. Today, you get to choose. – Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, “The Equalizer 2”
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is circling the wagons, raising its defenses for the people and programs the massive, vocal Filipino basketball community has expressed its disappointment with. But the problem boils down to having replaced the rider when there’s something wrong with the horse. It’s been a repetition of problems past, and palliatives that don’t address the root issues.
A lot of the ire – fairly or unfairly – has swirled around Chot Reyes, the good soldier. To be fair, Reyes does have a remarkable resumé. His accomplishments are well above and beyond most other possible candidates for the Gilas Pilipinas job. He raised the level of the national basketball program in its nascent years. But Filipino basketball fans are unforgiving when it comes to avoidable and unacceptable losses like in the SEA Games and recent FIBA tournaments, where Reyes is being painted as having taken one for the team.
This week, SBP president Al Panlilio defended Reyes and the association, laying blame for the current mess squarely at Tab Baldwin’s feet. Panlilio and Reyes have known each other for roughly half a century. They are the first batch of Ateneo Blue Eaglets to play in the UAAP when the university bolted the NCAA in the late 1970’s. Their high school classrooms were beside one another. That is a deep, hefty connection. And the fact of the matter is that, to some in the association, Baldwin is an outsider who bluntly calls it as he sees it. He’s not their boy. And frankly, fixing the blame at this point doesn’t help anyone. Plus, it’s in poor form.
There are whispered (and manufactured) accusations being leveled at Baldwin, too, such as allegedly benefiting from players leaving to play in Japan, or (to a lesser degree) even not being able to keep players from leaving Ateneo. For some reason, these accusations don’t seem to get attention. People don’t believe or care about them. And if players could make the best out of their situation here, wouldn’t they stay? Why is that anyone’s fault in a free-market economy? This millennial generation is known for being more migratory, anyway, which is why they’re less likely to buy cars or houses than previous generations.
Now, there is news that NBA Sixth Man awardee Jordan Clarkson will be riding in on a white horse to help save the day. The announcement was met with tempered cheers. While it is a remarkable – and expensive – development on the sheer face of it, let us remember that, in his first outing, the national team won without him and lost with him in the lineup. He will play as a naturalized player, meaning the team will still need local big men. Hopefully, it will not just be a costly patch job. And not to tell anyone what to do with their money, but wouldn’t Clarkson’s enormous fee be equally effective in bringing together three or four other formidable players who will commit to the team on a more permanent basis?
The national basketball program is in the rut of constantly starting over. Obviously, that doesn’t work. Using the American system is no longer effective. Having a full-time national team is, as Philippine basketball history has already proven. All other successful national teams keep their athletes together. We already know what works. Why not work things out with Baldwin, who has shown progressive success? Whose ego is so bruised that they can’t continue what was already working, and let those people do their job?