Barefield ineligible for Japan
Fil-Am guard Sedrick Barefield hopes his performance with the Bay Area Dragons in the EASL Champions Week in Japan starting today will clear the air on what he plans to do moving forward. At the moment, Barefield isn’t closing the door on whatever options come his way, including reapplying for the PBA draft in September.
Barefield, 26, said the only closed door is playing in the Japanese B-League as an Asian heritage import. Sports agent Marvin Espiritu explained that the ineligibility stems from Barefield’s classification with FIBA. Although Barefield’s mother is Filipina, he’s not recognized as a local by FIBA because his passport was issued after turning 16. The B-League’s rule on eligibility of an Asian heritage import is based on the player’s status with FIBA. “Matthew Wright, Ray Parks and Greg Slaughter are considered locals in the B-League because they’re eligible to play for Gilas as locals,” he said. “That’s why they can play in the B-League (as Asian heritage imports).”
Barefield said he was advised by Espiritu on the B-League situation. The only way he could play in the B-League is if a team signs him up as a world import. The other options for Barefield are playing for Bay Area in the inaugural EASL home-and-away season beginning in October, suiting up in Korea or applying for the PBA draft. Barefield played a game in the Taipei league last year so a return could be another option. Barefield, however, said he’d like to stay in the Philippines. “This is home,” he said.
Barefield applied for the PBA draft last year and failed to make the deadline in submitting his Philippine passport. Espiritu said it was in process but the PBA required the submission of the actual document. He went on to test the playing waters in Taipei and later, saw action for the Philippines’ Strong Group in the recent Dubai Invitationals. Barefield impressed in Dubai and in the Strong Group’s 90-87 win over the UAE national team, collected 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Touted to be a Mikey Williams play-alike, Barefield averaged 16.8 points and hit 38.8 percent from beyond the arc in his third and final season with the University of Utah varsity in 201819. He played for Oklahoma City, Atlanta and Golden State in the NBA Summer League.