Not too long ago, a Fulbright scholar by the name of Rafe Bartholomew came to the Philippines to study what is basketball to and for Filipinos. You must have heard of him, and most probably, you must have read his book, Pacific Rims, which remains a favorite title among many Filipino basketball junkies to this day.
Except that, Bartholomew came to the country almost two decades ago—and that's a huge amount of time that had passed. This writer, apparently, has a dysfunctional sense of time. Perhaps that is basketball’s doing.
The Philippines’ last basketball achievement on the global scale took place in 1954 when FIBA Hall of Famer Carlos Loyzaga led the men’s hoops team to the bronze medal finish at what we now call the FIBA World Cup. Yet, as demonstrated by many by-blood and unrelated titos, it feels like not too long ago that the country was among the elite in the world.
When we see Freddie Webb, we shout, “That guy played in the Olympics!”
When Jayson Castro appears, we shriek, “Best point guard in Asia ‘yan!”
Webb’s Olympic stint took place 51 years ago, and it’s been eight years since Castro ruled Asia. Significant time has passed, yet we strut with these milestones like we won them yesterday.
That’s not a knock on Filipinos, but maybe it's even an asset—if you hope to see the day that we rule the world stage.
Bartholomew—who is once again interviewing basketball minds across the globe for his new podcast, The Global Bounce—believes it’s just a matter of time before the Philippines gets its own version of a golden generation of players. It's like Argentina when it had Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, and Fabricio Oberto that won gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Or that Iran squad bannered by Hamed Haddadi, Nikkah Bahrami, and Mahdi Kamrani that tormented other Asian nations for years.
If we set a hypothetical (and unscientific) stipulation that a golden generation of hoops players comes once every 100 years, then we're nearly due to have one, says Bartholomew.
“Let’s pretend the last [golden generation] was 1954, Caloy Loyzaga World Championship bronze medal team, then we’re about 20 years and 30 years away from seeing the next one,” Rafe told One Sports.
It’s not hard to be optimistic with the talent that is now springing up in the Philippines, according to the veteran scribe.
“The PBA I came to in 2005, the best big men were 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5. There were not a lot of tall players. Now you look at Carl Tamayo, Calvin Oftana, all these players who are 6’6, 6’7, 6’8. Players who have height and skill and athleticism, you’re seeing them a lot more than we used to see them in the country,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s a reason why we wouldn’t see a player like, look at Japan: Rui Hachimura, Yuta Watanabe. [Players who] are that good and have that kind of athleticism, hopefully make it to the NBA, or go very close,” the journalist added.
At the moment, it can be argued that this golden age of talent is here—but still taking a bit of time to develop. Filipinos already have Kai Sotto, whose NBA dream remains alive. There’s Tamayo and other talents like Thirdy Ravena, Rhenz Abando, and RJ Abarrientos who are leaving their mark overseas. Bartholomew says, if we have these talents now, then we’re bound to have more talents in the future.
“I think it’s a reasonable thing to happen based on how the sport is developing in the country and the amount of resources that the SBP [Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas] is pouring in.”
Don’t credit Rafe, however, for this sliver of hope. He says it was planted into his mind after all the interviews he has done for his upcoming podcast, most notably, with OG Gilas coach Rajko Toroman—who handled Iran’s own version of the golden generation.
While that Iranian team did not make podium finishes on the world stage, Haddadi and company have certainly stamped their names in Asian history books and thousands of basketball conversations today and in the future—be it in barber shops or podcasts.
As for the Philippines, yes, we have had historic feats and we are proud of them. But we’d be lying if we say we don’t look forward to that golden batch of players who will make new breakthroughs.
“I just hope that it happens in my lifetime. Whenever it comes, I get to see it,” said Bartholomew.
Same here, Rafe. Same here.