Neophyte Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has filed a bill that will grant National Basketball Association (NBA) player Andray Blatche Philippine citizenship.
The bill seeks to increase the national team’s over-all capacity for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.
The former Aurora congressman filed Senate Bill 2108, citing the “urgent need to have a pool of naturalized players along with Marcus Douthit” “to equalize the world basketball landscape historically ruled by American and European countries.”
He said SB 2108 seeks to “increase the team’s over-all capability” and consider Blatche as a “back up in case of injuries.”
Blatche, an American 6-11 power forward/center with the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA with career averages of 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, has expressed interest to play for the Philippines.
The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is set on August 30 to September 14 in Spain.
“He is in a position, at age 28, to make significant contributions to Philippine basketball, and according, eligible for the conferment of the honor of being a Philippine citizen,” Angara said.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) allows one naturalized player to play per tournament per country.
“This will not be the first time the Philippines will naturalize athletes in order to represent our country in international tournaments,” Angara said.
In 1985, with three naturalized players, Dennis Still, Jeff Moore and Chip Enggeland, the Philippines, represented by the RP-Northern Consolidated Corporation won the William Jones Cup and the ABC Championships, now known as FIBA Asia Championship.
Southeast Asian Games gold medalist for swimming, Akiko Thompson and SEA games medalist and swimming champion Christine Jacob-Sandejas are among those naturalized athletes that brought honor to the country.