Macau coach Garrett Kelly explained why Sam Deguara elected to play in Taiwan instead of joining the Black Knights in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.
There was some buzz among Filipino fans when it was announced Macau Black Knights were joining the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.
One player they were expecting to see action in the first play-for-pay league in Asia is the 7-foot-6 Sam Deguara.
But when the league released the team lineups for the mid-season tournament, fans were quick to point out Deguara’s exclusion.
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It turned out, the Maltese giant got an offer to play in Taiwan, according to Macau coach Garrett Kelly.
“Sam's been with us, we love Sam. He's part of our family. He's been with us for almost two years now, off and on,” he said when asked about Deguara during halftime of the Terrafirma-Titan game Wednesday, March 11.
“But, at the end of the day, professional basketball players are independent contractors. And they gotta go where their money is.”
Kelly and the Macau management completely understood the pivot.
“Their career is a short span of their life. If you're lucky, ten years. If you're really lucky, more than ten years. But in reality, it's as long as your body holds up,” he said.
“And Sam obviously has one of the largest bodies on earth for a basketball player. He keeps himself in phenomenal shape, and he's a great teammate and a great person.”
Money aside, Kelly felt it was the logical move for Deguara.
“He's familiar with the general manager, he's familiar with the coach, he's familiar with some of the players over there,” he said.
“And at the end of the day, he's gotta go where the money is best. And the situation is the best.”
But if a chance to tap Deguara during the course of the conference arises, Kelly wouldn’t think twice him.
“We wish him the best. I keep in touch with him. I talk to him once a week. If and when we have an opportunity for him, we'd love to have him back. So we'll just have to wait and see,” said Kelly.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.