Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Meralco can only hope that the good fortunes of last month’s breakthrough PBA championship would rub off on Allen Durham in his return for the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
The three-time Best Import will once again don the Bolts jersey after spending the last four years in Japan’s B.League, where he won a championship in 2023 for the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
And on the heels of Meralco’s run to the Philippine Cup title is the positive outlook in the chances of Durham finally getting one for his own here after falling short in three previous Finals appearances, all against Justin Brownlee and Barangay Ginebra.
Durham has been on the radar of coach Luigi Trillo, active consultant Nenad Vucinic and the Bolts management since the 36-year-old concluded his B.League campaign with the Golden Kings.
It will be Durham’s sixth tour of duty in the PBA, which started in 2015 for Barako Bull before playing the next four years for the Meralco ballclub.
“The PBA is like my second home,” Durham said in 2023 when he flew to Manila during a break in the B.League season.
Fellow teams under the MVP Group in TNT and NLEX have inked up their respective imports for the tournament that opens on Aug. 18.
With Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still having club commitments in Puerto Rico, TNT tapped Darius Days, who played one season for the Houston Rockets in the 2022-23 NBA campaign. Team manager Jojo Lastimosa, however, said Days time with the Tropang Giga will depend if Hollis-Jefferson becomes available at some point during the conference.
Another deal
NLEX also got an import with some NBA experience in Myke Henry, who played 20 games for Memphis in 2018.
Terrafirma will have Brandon Edwards, a former import of the Macau Black Bears in the defunct Asean Basketball League, while Phoenix got Jayveous McKinnis.
Meanwhile, NorthPort got another deal done when it dealt Brent Paraiso to Terrafirma for the second round in the 51st season draft. Paraiso is coming off a solid rookie campaign for the Batang Pier, who chose the ex-Letran Knight in the third round last year.
In another trade, Rain or Shine sent College of St. Benilde’s Miggy Corteza to Blackwater also for the Bossing’s second round pick in the 51st season. Corteza was selected in the second round by the Elasto Painters during Sunday’s draft. INQ