Need for a new naturalized player urgent, says Guiao

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In the eyes of coach Yeng Guiao, he believes that it’s just the right time for Gilas Pilipinas to find a new naturalized player.

“The lifetime for a naturalized player, I think, is three to five years, and (Andray) Blatche has been here for three years,” he said. “So that means that we have to recruit a new one because the other countries are also constantly recruiting players. You have to stay in the course with them.”

The idea of a possible pool for naturalized players has been previously broached by no less than Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio.

And Guiao, a former national team coach back in 2009 who led the Philippines to an eighth place finish in the Fiba Asia Championship, agreed as he said that the country must find its next naturalized player while the 30-year-old Blatche is still at his peak.

“Maybe, Andray is just here for at least two years. On his last year, or maybe as early as now, his replacement has to be there,” he said.

PBA imports like Greg Smith and Donte Greene have already declared their intentions to lend their services for the country. In Smith’s case, Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy even went to as far as vouching for his reinforcement’s papers as he tried to set an appointment with government officials.

A former representative in Pampanga, Guiao said that SBP must make its right choice before going forward with the naturalization process.

“The process of naturalization by legislation is a long one. It might take a year or so, so we really need to start it now. But I think the first step in doing that is making the right decision of who will you naturalize,” he said.