GlobalPort rethinks PBA rookie draft plans as Stanley Pringle asking for the moon GLOBALPORT is rethinking its plans for the coming PBA rookie draft as consensus top pick Stanley Pringle is asking for the moon, team insiders told Spin.ph on Tuesday. The Batang Pier own the top pick overall in the August 24 draft and have made it known they are eyeing Pringle, an athletic Fil-American guard who has drawn comparisons with Talk N Text guard Jayson Castro. But the team owned by Mikee Romero, sources said, has been forced to re-assess its draft plans after initial talks with agents representing Pringle showed the former Indonesia Warriors guard expects a salary beyond the league maximum for rookies of P150,000 a month. Medyo nagde-demand eh. Okay na sana kami na siya ang kunin as top pick, kaso sobra naman yung hinihingi, said a source from the Sultan 900 Incorporated franchise. Pati si boss Mikee (Romero) nagpantig din ang tenga sa inis, added the source. The Globalport insider said although Pringle stood out in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) and has played in leagues around Europe, his skills have yet to be tested against seasoned Filipino pros. He has this demand where in fact we havent seen him play, said the source. He may be a star in the ABL, he may have played in Europe as they say, pero how will he play in the PBA? Pisikalan ang laro sa PBA, can he withstand that? added the source. Naiiba ang laro ng player kahit magaling, pag pinisikal siya sa PBA, may tendency na hindi na lalaro yan. Contacted for comment, Romero made no effort to deny the teams change of heart on Pringle. Lets put it this way, our team always abides by the rules of the league. We cannot give somebody something that is beyond the allowable, Romero declared. I have heard a lot of people say that were already locked on Pringle for the top pick. No sir. It can change, he added. Even if the coaching staff has already decided on him (Pringle), I can always overrule it, added the 26th richest Filipino based on Forbes magazines list. With the turn of events, Globalport, sources said, has turned its attention to homegrown amateur standouts Kevin Louie Alas and Garvo Lanete. Yang dalawang yan, subok na yan. Alam na natin kapasidad nila. Atleast sa dalawa na yan, sure ka na makikipagpalitan ng mukha, he said. Aside from the two Gilas cadets, Globalport is hoping that Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. will change his mind at the last minute and beat the August 13 deadline for draft applicants. Follow the writer on Twitter: @snowbadua spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/stanley-pringle-globalport-mikee-romero-owner-pba-rookie-draft-top-pick-salary-basketball X-JRM
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 12:02:53 +0000