GILAS Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone lamented the lengthy naturalization process in the Philippines after the national team was eliminated from the Asian Games by China.
Cone said the Philippines could have benefited from the presence of a naturalized player, but the country’s process makes it difficult to quickly secure the services of foreign-born talents.
“We would have liked Justin (Brownlee) and Bennie (Boatwright), (or even Jordan Clarkson), but none were available, and it’s not an easy process to naturalize players like it is in other countries,” Cone said in a Viber message to Fastbreak.
Brownlee was unable to join the team as he continued to recover from injury, while Boatwright’s naturalization has yet to be completed when the Asian Games started.
Although legislation granting Boatwright Filipino citizenship had already been enacted, the process still requires publication and the completion of immigration and other legal requirements before he can be made available to Gilas.
Jordan Clarkson was also not an option for the Asian Games campaign.
The absence of a naturalized player left the Philippines at a disadvantage against bigger opponents. Gilas suffered a heavy 105-61 defeat to China, ending its campaign with a 1-2 record in Group C and ruling the team out of the quarterfinals.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino also questioned why other Asian countries have been able to field multiple naturalized players while the Philippines continues to face difficulties in doing so.
“It was a good thing we got the gold medal in Hangzhou though we have to wait for five years to regain the gold medal,” Tolentino said. “The question is: why do the other countries have so many naturalized players? Why can’t we?”
The Philippines won the men’s basketball gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, but failed to defend the title in the latest edition.
The next Asian Games will be held in Doha, Qatar, in 2031 after the Olympic Council of Asia voted to move the event to odd-numbered years.
The adjustment is intended to align the continental games one year ahead of the Summer Olympics, improve preparation and qualification opportunities, and reduce congestion in the international sports calendar. (Adrian Co)
