Basketball in the Philippines seems to be all over the news these days.
With teams thoughout the world attempting to upgrade their rosters as the FIBA World Cup in Spain approaches, Brooklyn Nets’ forward Andray Blatche has has been granted Filipino citizenship so he can play for that country’s national team.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Benigno Aquino III signed a law Wednesday granting citizenship to the American-born Blatche. Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, the main author of the law says the 6-foot-11 Blatche, a power forward and center, can make “significant contributions to Philippines basketball.”
The Philippines, as we know, is a basketball crazed country in Malaysia, with three professional leagues in operation throughout the year and have a reputation for drawing huge crowds in Manila. Just the other day, Manny Pacquiao, a world championship boxer and the most visible personality in the country, announced he would coach an expansion team on one of them.
FIBA rules allow for one naturalized citizen to play for a country’s national team. Blatche is America-Filipino who played high school basketball at Henninger High in Syracuse and South Kent Academy in Connecticut. He declared for the NBA draft upon graduation in 2005 and was a second round selection of the Washington Wizards. He averaged 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds this season for the Nets and should give the Philippines much needed size inside.
Blatche had to apply for Filipino citizenship at the Philippine’s consulate to become eligible to play for the Philippines, who are making theier first appearance in the World Cup. Similar legislation was recently filed for both Blatche and Denver Nuggets’ center JaVale McGee. Sadly, McGee’s naturalization request has been withdrawn because of a broken leg that has kept him out nearly all season.
The Philippines is competing at the World Cup for the first time in 35 years. They qualified by finishing second in the Asian championships. The Philippines are in Group B at the World Cup, along with Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Puerto Rico and Senegal. After the World Cup, Blatche will again play for the Philippines team at the Asian Games in South Korea in September.
