Gilas-PH five drops McGee
By June Navarro
Forget about NBA standout JaVale McGee suiting up for the Smart Gilas national team.
Forget about NBA standout JaVale McGee suiting up for the Smart Gilas national team.
The dream of having NBA stalwart JaVale McGee representing the Philippines could become a reality.
The nucleus of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball champion squad may be elevated to the national team the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas will soon form with the long-term goal of playing in the 2014 Fiba World Championship.
What’s better than one NBA star endorsing your brand? Having another.
The arrival of eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in the fourth quarter of the exhibition game between Smart Gilas and the NBA All-Stars created a big commotion at the Big Dome last Sunday afternoon. Upon catching sight of the Pinoy boxing icon making his entry at ringside, the huge crowd immediately chanted, “Manny! Manny!” [...]
NBA superstar Kobe Bryant once said that Manila is ‘one of his favorite cities in the world.’ And after a rendezvous with the most passionate fans, Bryant won’t be the only one in love with the basketball hotbed that is the Philippines.
MANILA—One spectacular show deserves a repeat performance. And no less than Kobe Bryant, the brightest from among the nine-man NBA stars that played in the just-concluded Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend here, wants an encore. “It’s been a tremendous honor to play here,” said Bryant, who won the Finals MVP twice in his five NBA championships [...]
Kevin Durant was momentarily rendered powerless by a high-flying Japeth Aguilar dunk, Kobe Bryant couldn’t shake off a single-coverage defender at the post and Derrick Rose missed two pressure-free charities as chants of “M-V-P” engulfed the Coliseum.
Kobe Bryant cuffed the basketball, then eluded his defender with a show and go as he was driving toward the basket.
For coach Rajko Toroman, losing is never an option. Even against the world’s leading basketball idols in a friendly encounter.
MANILA — Everybody thinks the NBA show in town is all about dunks, highlights and photographs for posterity. Don’t tell that to Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. So serious were the future NBA Hall of Famers that they would have wanted to catch a glimpse of the PBA selection and the Smart Gilas national team [...]
For one memorable weekend, the Philippines will be the center of the basketball universe, if only for the stars that will converge at the Araneta Coliseum starting tonight.
