NEWCOMERS KIA Motors and Blackwater and Barako Bull, three of four squads that gained handicaps of tapping imports of unlimited height for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, have signed up 7-footers for the event that gets off the ground on Jan. 27.
The Sorento signed 7-foot-4 Puerto Rican national player PJ Ramos, the Elite have come to terms with 7-foot-1 former Asean Basketball League standout Chris Charles, while the Energy will be led by 7-foot-1 Solomon Alabi.
NLEX was the fourth team to finish out of the top eight in the Philippine Cup, but the Road Warriors, who already have 6-foot-10 man-mountain Asi Taulava, will be reinforced by NBA veteran Al Thornton, this early tagged as the yardstick among imports.
There are several returnees being eyed, counting former Air21 import Michael Dunigan. Rob Dozier, who led Alaska to the title here in 2012, will be back for the third straight year for the Aces even as Talk ‘N Text brings back Richard Howell, the man who almost led the Tropang Texters to the championship last season.
Purefoods, which carried the name San Mig Coffee last year, defeated the Texters, 3-2 in the best-of-five Finals with James Mays, but the Star Hotshots are looking at other options.
San Mig Coffee would eventually win the Grand Slam with Marcus Blakely as a reinforcement in the season-ending Governors’ Cup.
Barangay Ginebra and Meralco are two sides that have expressed interest in signing up Dunigan, a mammoth scorer with the willingness to mix it up inside.
The only thing that has so far prevented Dunigan from selecting a team to play for is the NBA D-League’s Showcase tournament set to end on the 19th in Santa Cruz, California.