Binatikos ni 7'2" center Kai Sotto at ng dalawa pang dating Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player, ang pagsisikap ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) at PBA na mapanatili sa kanila ang mga manlalarong umaalis upang maglaro sa mga liga sa ilang bansa sa Asya.

Inilabas ni Sotto ang kanyang saloobin sa pamamagitan ng social media.

Bukod kay Sotto, hinambalos din nina ex-PBA players Greg Slaughter at Matthew Wright ang SBP at PBA.

Nag-ugat ang usapin nang hindi bigyan ng clearance ng SBP ang paglalaro sana sa KBL (Korean Basketball League) ni Gilas forward Will Navarro.

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Lalo pang nag-init ang ulo ng tatlong manlalaro nang magtungo pa sa Japan ang matataas na opisyal ng PBA upang talakayin ang posibleng hakbang upang panagutin ang mga manlalarong lumilipat sa ibang liga sa ibang bansa.

“I’m sorry but this is crazy. THIS HAS TO STOP. You got players who’ve been working hard and dreaming to play basketball at the highest level they can reach and we got our own people stopping us from achieving greatness," panimula ni Sotto sa kanyang Twitter post.

"Even though we might be banned we still represent Pinoy Pride wherever we go,” bahagi naman ng tweet ni Wright.

“TOTAL BS and crab mentality at its highest. The PBA slammed the door on me and my family DAYS BEFORE my daughter was born. I played seven years and publicly made myself available to the NT. Respect the true ethics of the game of basketball and FAIR COMPETITION,” ngitngit naman ni Slaughter.

Nanindigan naman angSBP at sinabing dapat na pahalagahan ni Navarro ang kanyang kontrata sa Gilas Pilipinas na tatagal hanggang Marso 2023, gayundin umano sa koponan nitong NorthPort.

“The SBP respects players’ rights to look for greener pastures. But players also need to respect agreements they have entered into with their teams,”depensa naman SBP.

Reynald Magallon