Rain or Shine Elasto Painters import Antoine Wright (left) confers with teammate Jireh Ibañes in the middle of their game against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings on Sunday night, Feb. 21. PBA
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters plans to stick with newly signed reinforcement Antoine Wright despite the latter’s not-so-impressive debut in the 2016 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Painters head coach Yeng Guiao believes the NBA veteran still have something to show aside from his 16-point, eight-rebound performance in their 103-92 loss to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings on Sunday night.
“Understandably, we have a new import. It’s the first time he played with our team,” said Guiao. “He just stepped out of the airplane (Sunday) morning and wala pa siyang tulog. So that’s not really the best we could see of him.”
“But he’s promising,” the six-time PBA champion coach said. “If we can get a few days with him to practice, to know his teammates, to know the system, we’ll get better.”
Wright, Brooklyn Nets’ 15th overall pick in the 2005 draft, said he has still a lot to offer for the Painters as he is still trying to get into the groove after being out of competitive basketball for seven months.
“It’s been a while since I played an official game, so there was a lot of rust today,” he said Sunday night. “I had some plays on defense where guys just went around me and, for whatever reason, my legs wouldn’t react the way I wanted them to.”
“It suits my game (Painters run-and-gun system), so I know next game it will be better for me,” said the 32-year-old import. “I’m almost sure. I’m looking forward [to] our next game.”
Wright, who had stints with Nets, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, and Sacramento Kings, was tapped to replace reigning Best Import awardee Wayne Chism, who is out for a month due to hamstring injury./PN