NBA Asia event turns everyone into fans

NBA Asia event turns everyone into fans

by rick olivares

Chris Webber and Mitch Richmond were at the halfcourt of the Araneta Coliseum. The 6’10” Webber was standing at the circle and was launching basketballs while facing the opposite direction yet from 47 feet away. None of them came close to slicing the cords but it didn’t matter. Webber was in too good a mood to not mind missing.

Over at the foot of the entrance to the court were Ronald Tubid, LA Tenorio, Rico Maierhofer, Dondon Hontiveros, Ronnie Magsanoc, and Alvin Patrimonio. Maierhofer, the recently declared 2010 PBA Rookie of the Year carried a plastic bag containing jerseys that bore the number “4”. In the front of one jersey, it read “Michigan” while the other had “Sacramento” on it. The pieces of authentic apparel bore Webber’s name in the back.

You know the doe-eyed look of wonder a kid wears when he enters Toys ‘R Us for the first time? That was the look that Maierhofer, Tubid, and company wore. The PBA superstars had been reduced to fans. “That’s how we started anyway,” said Magsanoc who made no apologies for his overt giddiness. “I don’t care if Chris Webber is not the player he once was (after he had to undergo microfracture surgery that severely curtailed his explosiveness and athleticism). Just him standing there is good enough for me. He is a legitimate NBA superstar!”

Despite his moniker of “the Saint,” Tubid can hardly be characterized as one on the court. Known for his devil may care ways when the starting whistle is blown, he plays with unbridled passion that is oft mistaken for arrogance. But as he watched former Seattle Supersonics guard Gary Payton chat with NBA D-League player Chris McCray, he is once more that kid who used to pattern his game after the man they call “The Glove.”

“Nung sinabihan ako na kasama ako dito exhibition game (the 2010 NBA Asia Challenge) naisip ko na meron din ako sigurong nagawang tama sa mundong ‘to.” quipped the man who is one-third of the trio that sportscaster Mico Halili dubs as ‘the Fast, the Furious, and the Fearless.’ “Excited ako. Pero sana may chance din ako bantayan siya.”

Magsanoc was also clearly pleased with this batch of NBA players who were genuinely happy to be in Manila. Their press conference last Tuesday, August 24, at the Dusit Thani Manila was a laughfest as the players, who were quite great interviews during their day were joking, telling stories, and very warm with the assembled media.

However, it isn’t only the PBA stars who are awestruck.

Payton looked up at the huge streamer with the “Thrilla in Manila” stitched on it. “Oh, I get to play in the venue where Muhammad Ali once boxed? Man…………. where one of the greatest boxing matches of all time was fought?” he said referring to the storied Araneta Coliseum that has seen thousands of great sporting events. “I played on every NBA court and in another country for the Olympics but how many NBA players can say that they played in the same venue where Ali once boxed and fought one of the greatest boxing matches of all time? Now that is like icing on the cake for my career.”

The 2010 NBA Asia Challenge is the second staging of this biggest NBA event in Southeast Asia and players like Payton and Glen have heard how the Philippines is the mecca for hoops in Asia. Some time late last year, Rice played in a scrimmage with Smart Gilas Pilipinas in Los Angeles and he found the Filipinos not only talented but tough competitors as well. “We had to raise the level of our game… and have like six halftimes just to compete,” deadpanned Rice who took some ribbing from Payton for his age.

“You’re going to have to make it seven halftimes,” chimed in Magsanoc who was referring to the local legends also being long out of shape.

Rice had heard of local hoops hero Allan Caidic who in his prime was known for incredible shooting displays from medium, long, and beyond area code range. The two will be engaging in a shootout either between quarters or halftime of the exhibition game today at the Araneta Coliseum. Game time between two mixed teams of NBA, D-League, and PBA players, each be coached by Alaska mentor Tim Cone and San Miguel Beer benchmaster Siot Tanquincen, is at 8pm.

While the Filipinos and Americans worked out on the court, several dozen kids from Parañaque who were participating in the NBA Cares program sat in the patron section and patiently waited for their chance to get some pictures or autographs. One eight-year old kid watched the former NBA stars’ engage some collegiate basketball players in a game of “Horse.”

When asked if he was excited to meet Payton and company, the kid held out his hands and professed not to be familiar with them. He was after all only nine years old and at the time when the Glove helped the Miami Heat to its first title in 2006, he wasn’t that aware of the game’s nuances or players.

Now it was the kid’s turn to ask a question. “May isang tanong ako. Where’s Kobe Bryant?”

And everyone just burst out laughing.