New York Knicks scout at the FIBA Asia Championships

Watching and scouting the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships: Gary Boyson, Tim Cone, and me.

New York Knicks scout at the FIBA Asia Championships

by rick olivares

Gary Boyson, Director of Scouting for the New York Knicks is in town to catch the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships. Boyson has been in town for a couple of days now and it totally loving the atmosphere of the FIBA Asia Championships in Manila. “It’s great,” described Boyson. “I’ve heard so much how basketball crazy the Philippines is and to experience it first hand is always a good thing.”

“My responsibility is to travel around the world as part of the international focus for us,” said Boyson of his mission in Manila. “I am here to track possible free agents and young players. For international players, that essentially means between  the ages of 19-22. It’s always good to get an early lead on the guy and track him over time.”

The Knicks scout said “There are some talented players for sure. But I won’t go into specifics.” Despite being pressed, Boyson refused to mention even the names of the countries of the players he likes.  

I mentioned Iran’s Hamed Ehadadi, Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, and Oshin Sahakian, Jordan’s Mohamed Hadrab, Chinese Taipei’s Tseng Wen Ting, Tien Lei, and Chen Shih Chieh, Korea’s Kim Jongkyu, the Philippines’ Jason Castro and Japeth Aguilar to name a few but Boyson only smiled.  

“We get together the staff (of the Knicks) and we talk very often,” he said of what comes next. “It’s that time of the year where we do not have many slots left on our roster. Basically getting everything ready for training camp. After this I am off to Venezuela for the FIBA America to do the same. If there are players we all like, he’ll get an invite for sure.”

“You’ll know if and when there is a Filipino player we like,” added Boyson who has had more than 15 years of scouting experience. “If and when that happens, he won’t be able to contain himself and I am sure he’ll talk to everyone willing to listen.”