"I've been to the Philippines twice in the last four years and I've been asked that question over how many times. It could be a possibility, I don't really know at this time. I have played for USA, so I'm not sure. It could happen, only time will tell at this point. " — Jalen Green on Gilas Pilipinas.
Jalen Green to Gilas Pilipinas is a tantalizing thought, that's for sure.
It's not entirely impossible, after all, the no. 1 recruit of the 2020 class and a projected top NBA Draft pick has Filipino blood through his mother side.
There's only one major hurdle in the Green to Gilas dream: young Jalen has already played, and won FIBA gold medals, for Team USA.
FIBA rules state that a player who has played in official competition "after having reached his seventeenth (17) birthday may not play for a national team of another country."
It would take "exceptional circumstances" to have Green leave Team USA and instead play for Gilas Pilipinas.
Nevertheless, the 17-year-old Jalen remains open to play for the Philippines, if there's even a slight chance it could be a reality.
"I could be a possibility," Green said in an interview set up by NBA Philippines.
"I've been to the Philippines twice in the last four years and I've been asked that question over how many times. It could be a possibility, I don't really know at this time. I have played for USA, so I'm not sure. It could happen, only time will tell at this point," he added.
Not exactly busy with national team duties nowadays, Green says his focus is on the G League.
The goal is to make the NBA of course.
"Obviously, my end goal is to make it to the NBA," Green said.
"I thought what better way than go to the G League and be around pros, get pro training, pro nutrition, all that. It's just another level of training and getting better and learning the game," Jalen added.
—
Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8
https://sports.abs-cbn.com/gilas/news/2020/08/13/green-gilas-it-possibility-says-jalen-70181
No comments:
Post a Comment