...reply to KevinDurant

KD,

I understand your point. You know very well how much I'm an advocate of the SMART-Gilas program, having patterned it after the NCC blueprint two and a half decades ago.

I've continuously repeated my belief that the SMART-Gilas program would be an effective tool in regaining our previous international success (at least in the Asian level). Note though that I batted for this under the premise that the PBA would be an unwilling element in providing us with a sound program that will include the pro players as part of the national team.

The best option would remain to be the pro players representing our national team. But let me preface this by saying that there must be a program almost similar to the NCC program to ensure that success can be achieved. Since I understand that the PBA's mission and vision doesn't jive with this, that is the reason why I wanted the SMART-Gilas program to fly.

I understand where Yeng Guiao is coming from. The three year program of the SBP for SMART-Gilas may not be enough to make us competitive immediately. Perhaps in five years. Although it is possible that SMART-Gilas can replicate the success of the NCC program - that in two years time, we were already the top Asian team. We would have won the 1983 ABC had we not been disqualified in the tournament where we wounded up 9th.

Of course, what fast-tracked NCC's program was the presence of the naturalized players. We had two players - Jeff Moore and Dennis Still - already playing for us in the 1986 ABC where we won the title. By 1987, Chip Engelland would have been available already after having completed his 3-year residency rule (a FIBA rule back then). Today, there's only one naturalized player allowed. This may be fast-tracked by legislative act - meaning friends from Congress can make this a priority and immediately have CJ Giles or anyone else chosen to be naturalized. But that's only one player.

I believe in the SMART-Gilas program. We can probably achieve success already by the third year. But if the PBA players can be part of the national team, make them play internationally, have them practice weekly, make them adjust to international rules, etc., then the period for success would be shorter.

This is what Guiao is batting for. He hasn't totally disregarded the SBP program. He only wants an interim period to allow the SMART-Gilas players to develop further while the PBA-backed national team continue with what it's doing. Provided though that the PBA-backed national team would be given every opportunity to get used to the FIBA system and allow them to play internationally.

And since the PBA-backed national team would serve as the forefront of things, they should be the ones playing in the FIBA-Asia and other tournaments where they can hone their skills further. The SMART-Gilas team can continuously improve in the Asian Games and other tournaments. I'll retract what I said about the Champions' Cup and the Stankovic Cup - these are tournaments that the SMART-Gilas team can match wits with top Asian teams so they won't have to fear them when they face each other in the future. When the young players are ready, they can now be fielded in the bigger and more prestigious tourneys.