2 bills for Mcgee, Blatche naturalization filed at Senate
Blatche, McGee in Gilas uniform
Don’t look now but NBA’s Andray Blatche of the Brooklyn Nets and Javale McGee of the Denver Nuggets may just end up playing for Gilas Pilipinas. That is if the two separate bills granting them Philippine citizenships that have been filed in the Senate would be approved. This Associated Press photo was edited digitally to show how the two players would look wearing a uniform worn in 2013 by Gilas, which will represent the country in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup on Aug. 30. MARK FERDINAND CANOY
MANILA, Philippines – Two separate bills have been filed at the Senate, granting Philippine citizenships to National Basketball Association (NBA) players Javalee Mcgee and Andray Blatche so they could represent the Philippines in international tournaments.
Mcgee is a 7-foot American center playing for the Denver Nuggets while Blatche is an American 6-11 power forward/center playing for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association.
No less than the chairman of the committee on games, amusements, and sports, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, initiated Senate Bills 2107 and 2108 to make Mcgee and Blatche naturalized Filipino citizens.
“The Philippines is now ranked 34th after the 2013 Continental Championships. With the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup set on August 30 to September 14 of this year, there is an urgent need to have a pool of naturalized players along with Marcus Douthit, to increase the team’s over-all capability and as back-up in case of injuries,” Angara said in his explanatory notes of the bills.
The International Basketball Federation or FIBA, the governing body in international basketball competitions, allows one naturalized player to play per tournament per country.
Angara said this will not be the first time the Philippines will naturalize athletes in order to represent the country in international tournaments.
In 1985, he said, the Philippines represented by the RP-Northern Consolidated Corporation with three naturalized players – Dennis Still, Jeff Moore and Chip England, won the William Jones Cup and ABC Championships now known as the FIBA Asia Championship.
Philippines’ naturalized citizen Douthit also brought honor to the Philippines through his key contributions, leading to the Philippine team’s winning the 2010 Philippine Invitational Cup, 3rd place in the 2010 William Jones Cup, and the 2012 William Jones Cup, said the senator.
“Other naturalized athletes have likewise brought honor to the country like 14th and 15th SEA Games gold medalist for swimming, Akiko Thompson; and SEA games medalist and swimming champion, Christine Jacob-Sandejas,” Angara added.
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