Filipino Douthit suddenly becomes an import in PBA

By Al S. Mendoza

(The 40th day of the untimely passing of Christine P. Rivera was observed with solemnity on October 10 in Newark, San Francisco, CA.  Christine’s parents, Hermie and Atchie Tina Pasaoa, led in the prayers for the eternal repose of Christine’s soul.  Christine was born in Dagupan City and studied at the prestigious Edna’s School before Hermie moved the family to the US in the Eighties.)

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A unique, if not crazy, rule in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) surfaced recently.

It had something to do with naturalized Filipinos playing for the national team.

The PBA rule says naturalized Filipinos can never play in the league.

How come?

You’ve acquired Filipino citizenship and yet, you are ineligible to play in the country’s No. 1 basketball hoop?

A case in point is Marcus Douthit, the 6-10 giant recruited from the US who played for the Philippine Smart Gilas.

But before he could play for the country, he established residency status in the Philippines before qualifying to become a naturalized Filipino.

Naturalized citizens of the world are allowed play in global basketball as per rules of the Fiba (World Basketball Federation), the world governing body in basketball.

Douthit starred for the country in the many overseas basketball events already, the latest of which was the Fiba Asia loop in Wuhan, China.

Douthit was superbly quarterbacking our campaign in China when we got tripped by Jordan in the battle for the gold.

That bitter loss to Jordan killed our hopes to earn a ticket to the London Basketball Olympics in 2012.

Worst, we lost to South Korea in the encounter for third place after we blew a won-game.

Because of Douthit’s potential, every squad in the eight-team PBA league wants a piece of him.

But, alas, Douthit can only play as an import and not as a Filipino player.

Isn’t that a bit weird?

He has become a Filipino and yet he can only play as an import?

That’s because the PBA rule says only a player with Filipino blood running in his veins can play in the league.

Douthit is a full-blooded African-American, effectively disqualifying him under the rule.

I believe it’s about time that rule is repealed, if not amended.

The PBA is on its 37th season.  Some of its rules seem outdated.

The world has become global so that we now have the so-called open tournaments wherein there is practically no more difference between amateur and professional.

Once Douthit gets to play in the PBA as an import, how do we call him, Filipino or American?

Suddenly, a Filipino should soon play as an American import in the league?

Only in the Philippines, indeed.

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