INQUIRER Sports

The genius behind Iran’s flourishing basketball program could be the answer the Philippine national team badly needs to regain its footing on the international scene.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is close to sealing a deal with Iran head coach Rajko Toroman whom officials approached last week during the FIBA-Asia Championship for junior men in Tehran, Iran.

SBP executive director Noli Eala revealed that Toroman, the man who brought Iran to the Olympics after 60 years, would be tapped as consultant and eventually as head of the national basketball team program.

The 53-year-old Serbian led the Iranians to the FIBA-Asia championship last year in Tokushima, Japan. The tournament was the continental qualifier for the Beijing Olympics.

The Iranians finished 11th in the Games, an improvement on their 14th-place finish in the 1948 London Olympics.

If the SBP and Toroman come to terms, Eala said, the veteran coach of many European clubs will arrive in Manila no later than Sept. 21 to watch the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball finals and to formalize his contract.

“He (Toroman) gave us his terms and we think it’s reasonable,” said Eala. “It’s now just a matter of finalizing the contract.”

Eala, the former PBA commissioner, also said at least three offers came Toroman’s way after his contract expired with the Iranian team.

Toroman was also offered a contract extension by Iran, a head coaching job with the Lebanon men’s team and an assistant coach portfolio with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA.

Toroman’s ace player, 7-foot-2 Hamed Haddadi, will see action with the Grizzlies after the NBA cleared the slotman to play in the league.

“He’s a skills coach and he’s responsible for developing the skills of Haddadi,” said Eala. “We also have a lot of tall players and he could do the same for us.”

Eala mentioned 6-foot-11 Filipino-American Gregory Slaughter of the University of Visayas, 6-foot-9 Junmar Fajardo of the University of Cebu and 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar as three of the players Toroman could develop.

“It’s one piece of the puzzle to help the Philippine team achieve its long-term goals,” said Eala.

Eala said the SBP also considered tapping former Chinese team mentor Jonas Kazlauskas and Lithuanian coach Rimas Kurtinaitis.