Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
GARY David was one of a handful of celebrity cagers who attended the birthday bash of a PBA staff member earlier this week.
He related to his media friends that he had been suspended for one game by his team, Meralco.
He said that he probably incurred coach Norman Black’s ire when he refused to report back to the game with barely a minute left in regulation.
“I told coach Norman that I would be of no help to the team because my ankle was swollen and hurting,” David told the group.
David had played some minutes earlier before he was pulled out.
Meralco lost that game to NLEX, 99-104—its second straight loss after a five-game winning streak.
A few days following the party, news broke out that David had been given his walking papers and is now an unrestricted free agent.
Black, however, said it was only a half truth, as he traced the events, starting from the last seconds of the match versus NLEX when he instructed David to report back to the game.
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“He didn’t speak out what was wrong. He just pointed to his foot and kind of waved me away. It was like saying that he wasn’t going to play,” Black said.
The following day, Black said he texted David, saying he deserves at least an explanation on why he had refused to play.
“Gary’s answer floored me. He said it was he who needed an explanation as to why he was given so little playing time,” Black said.
“I’ve been pretty happy with Gary’s performance. He has been averaging 17 points. It has nothing to do with performance but in the presence of imports, I couldn’t give him so much playing time,” Black explained.
David was initially put on the reserve list but because Rabeh Al-Hussaini was already in the list with an ankle injury, the Gilas Pilipinas stalwart had to be put on the unrestricted free agents’ list.
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“We’re introducing a new culture of discipline in our ballclubs,” Black said.
As an unrestricted free agent, David is free to transfer to another team without Meralco asking for anything in return. He is also free to negotiate with any team interested in acquiring his services, without this team being charged with tampering.
“Meantime, we are obliged to pay him his monthly salary of P420,000 until his contract with Meralco expires this August. Or if he is taken by another team, whichever comes first,” Black said.
As we went to press, the Bolts, Black and Meralco board governor Al Panlilio, who was at the Smart Araneta Coliseum that night, are still waiting for an apology from David.