NBA Execs excited about possibilities in the Philippines

NBA Execs excited about possibilities in the Philippines

Regular season games in the RP and Filipinos in the NBA? It’s just a matter of time, says Scott Levy. Rick Olivares reports in Business Mirror's Business section Friday April 16, 2010.

During Benjamin Roy “BJ” Armstrong Jr.’s heyday with the Chicago Bulls, he was asked how the league champion could be called “the world champion” when the best of the rest of the world didn’t compete there. He wasn’t sure how to reply to that back then. But if you were ask him that now, he could very well say that, “Yes, the best are now playing in the NBA.”

The signs are increasingly clear. The National Basketball Association is serious about making inroads into Asia with the Philippines as a key partner. To underscore that, NBA officials believe that it’s a matter of time before the country is treated to a live and official regular season match that is common overseas and that a Filipino player will soon suit up for an NBA team.

Scott Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Asia, who along with Armstrong, is in town for the Junior NBA Camp from April 16-18, 2010 at the Jose Rizal University Gym. And he likes what he sees from the country.

Explained Levy, “Clearly there will be the audience to do that kind of game here and we do see that happening in the future. It’s about finding the right time to do that and that we have the right facilities. Our teams travel all over the world every year and we have commitments to USA Basketball. There will be an opportunity to do that and we look forward to bringing that here to the Philippines.”

As for the first Philippine-born NBA player, Levy underscored, “It’s more than a chance. It’s a matter of time. The level of play is getting better. We’re seeing players from all over the world competing in the NBA and I’m sure there’ll be a Filipino player in the league soon.”

“The Philippines has an incredibly passionate fan base to a level that we don’t see in any other place in the world. We told BJ that he had to be prepared for questions. They are not going to be casual questions. It could be about a specific play that happened years ago that you may not thought about. It’s that level of detail and understanding. It’s always a great place for us to try new things.”

The word “expansion” used to mean “new teams in new cities” in NBA speak but with the success of the Junior NBA Program and the first ever NBA Asia Challenge held last year in China and the Philippines, there are exciting things in the works for the league and Filipino basketball fans.

Added Levy, “We are constantly working with our media assets, our broadcast partner, Solar Sports; we have a local website that covers our programs, we have more and more merchandise being introduced, and we’re introducing more on-ground programs.”

Ed Winkle, Senior Director for Business Development & marketing Partnerships expounded on the NBA Fit Program that will be unveiled soon. “NBA Fit is the platform for overall wellness and health partner with Coach Erik Spoelstra will be here for an entire week to talk about health fitness education. It’s not simply about raising the level of one’s game but taking a community and improving their fitness level. Even when we leave because we can’t be here everyday, it’s about making a lasting impact in the community.”

For Armstrong who had a celebrated stint with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen during the Chicago Bulls’ first three-peat from 1991-93, he too believes in the potential of the Philippines, “With the level and play improving and more and more foreign players coming to the NBA, if and when we see a Filipino in the NBA, now you have the best players in the world and it will truly be a World Championship.”