Blatche will soon be a Philippine citizen. (USATSI)
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Brooklyn Nets big man Andray Blatche was unanimously approved for Philippine citizenship on Monday and will play for the Philippines' national team this summer, according to the Philippine Star:
Committee Report No. 27 on House Bill No. 4084, sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara was approved with 20 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and zero abstention.
"Andray Blatche has openly expressed his desire to play for the Philippines. He is in a position, at age 28, to make significant contributions to Philippine basketball and accordingly, eligible for the conferment of the honor of being a Philippine citizen," Angara said.
…
"Blatche is possibly the best center from the NBA that we can get who is willing to shun more lucrative offers now and in the future just to be part of our national team," stressed Angara, who said that the Brooklyn Nets big man's documents will now be transmitted to the Office of the President for the chief executive's signing.
"Possibly the best center from the NBA that we can get who is willing to shun more lucrative offers." Quite the endorsement. But seriously, Blatche should be a tremendous boost to Gilas Pilipinas on the inside in August's FIBA World Cup. He will immediately become their No. 1 option in the post.
Back in late January, news broke that this was in the works. Blatche claimed to be half-Filipino, via the New York Times' Andrew Keh, to which teammate Joe Johnson said, "He's full of s---," via Newsday's Rod Boone.
Blatche averaged 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for Brooklyn this season, and he plans to opt out of the second year of his contract to become a free agent this offseason.
Basketball Hot News
Keri Hilson believes she and Serge Ibaka shared tears of joy following his emotional comeback
Keri Hilson, the singer famous for “Pretty Girl Rock,” was not sitting on the Oklahoma City Thunder bench in the closing minutes of the Thunder’s Game 3 win over San Antonio. But she believes she knew how Serge Ibaka – who’d just turned in an incredible, injury-defying performance – felt.
Hilson, who is dating Ibaka, spoke to Sam Amick of USA Today:
Hilson can’t prove it, but she’s sure that Ibaka was crying on the bench underneath that towel that covered his head in the final moments of Game 3. Happy tears all around, to be sure.
“I was so proud,” Hilson said. “When he was crying here on the bench — I believe he was crying — I was crying too. It was emotional because I saw how just yesterday and the day before yesterday to see that he was on crutches, he was in his brace. I know he played through pain, I don’t know how he did it, but he did it.”
How did Ibaka make this miraculous comeback?
"God & ice." -@GaryKGoldman ⚡️⚡️⚡️—
Keri Hilson (@KeriHilson) May 26, 2014
Overjoyed. God is good.—
Keri Hilson (@KeriHilson) May 26, 2014
Hilson elaborated on how she and Ibaka’s sister, Rachina, helped the Thunder forward. Amick:
But when Hilson hopped a plane came straight from Atlanta in the days after Ibaka was injured back on May 15, the look on Serge’s face said it all about how much work they had to do here.
“As soon as I heard, I didn’t feel comfortable being anywhere else,” Hilson, who is based in Atlanta and Los Angeles and met Ibaka through a mutual friend, told USA TODAY Sports. “Even though he didn’t say it, I knew he needed me. I needed to do anything I could to put a smile on his face. He didn’t have a smile on his face all week. It was very hard. It was really hard. He’s one of the most dedicated people I’ve ever seen in any field, one of the most dedicated people I’ve ever been able to witness. (Rachina) was as much his nurse as I was. She cooks. I do the TLC and cook a little bit. We had to be there for him.”
Ibaka did not return alone. He has a locker room full of adoring teammates behind him.
Kendrick Perkins, via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
“The best teammate I’ve ever played with is Kevin Garnett, but Serge is right there behind K.G., No. 2,”
Kevin Durant, via Royce Young of Daily Thunder:
Kevin Durant's full quote on Serge Ibaka: http://t.co/z3wqgXViU7—
Royce Young (@royceyoung) May 26, 2014
Ibaka clearly has support coming from all directions. That’s so fly, it’s a little bit scary. (Sorry.)
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