HoopsHype.com Rumors

One of Martin's best friends is former Barako Bull import and Reyes client DerMarr Johnson, who the agent said has been bragging about the popularity of basketball in the Philippines, particularly the PBA. “I am very persistent to bring Martin in, I am his fan and I’m sure Pinoy would love it,” concluded Reyes. Sports Interactive Network Philippines

Free Agency, Kenyon Martin, Philippines 

Emiliano Carchia: Renaldo Balkmann signed a deal in the Philippines. He will land in the Asian country in January Twitter @SportandoBasket

Philippines, Renaldo Balkman 

Forget about NBA standout JaVale McGee suiting up for the Smart Gilas national team. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has decided to look for another foreign player to beef up the team, passing up the chance to put the 7-foot Denver Nuggets center in a Philippine uniform for the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship. Inquirer.net

Denver Nuggets, Javale McGee, Philippines 

A huge insurance fee required to cover JaVale McGee’s lucrative contract with the Denver Nuggets has dimmed negotiations to sign up the NBA star as the second naturalized player of Smart Gilas 2.0 after Marcus Douthit. National coach Chot Reyes confirmed that efforts to naturalize the long-armed, high-leaping Denver center and sign him up for Gilas have hit a snag owing to the huge insurance cover for the four-year, US$44 million deal he signed with the Nuggets prior to the NBA season. Sports Interactive Network Philippines

Denver Nuggets, Javale McGee, Philippines 

Japeth Aguilar’s dream of pursuing a career in the American professional basketball circuit stays alive for the meantime after a National Basketball Association (NBA) Developmental League team promised to draft the former Talk ‘N Text center in the upcoming D-League draft. According to Leo Balayon, the CalTech assistant coach who is supervising Aguilar’s skills training in the United States, the six-foot-nine Aguilar attended the tryouts of the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Santa Cruz Warriors, and gave such a good account of himself in the Warriors’ tryout that the team said they would draft him. “Basically both teams (the D-Fenders and the Warriors) invited him to try out,” Balayon said in an e-mail to Yahoo! PH Sports. “The D-Fenders did not have a coach yet when he was invited so it was not the best situation. Someone I know in the organization had brought Japeth to the D-Fenders general managers’ attention. We really appreciated that. So after a day, Japeth got an invite to their closed invite-only tryout.” Yahoo! Sports Philippines

Golden State Warriors, Draft, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

The problem, Balayon said, was that some people in the organization got “too excited” about Japeth and claimed he played like Kevin Durant. On the day of the tryout, the team introduced former NBA player Reggie Theus as the new head coach, and Balayon said this caused some problems. “[Theus] had no input on who would be in the tryouts because he was just brought in so I think he was not as invested in it,” he continued. “The assistants from last year as well as other staff were the ones who organized the tryouts. So after being told Japeth played like KD and that he was the one to be looked at first, Theus was already being set with the wrong expectations. “They forced him to play center and power forward, not the SF, which we have been really working on. So even though Japeth played decently, Theus had unrealistic expectations, through no fault of his own.” Yahoo! Sports Philippines

Golden State Warriors, Draft, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

Since the Warriors are already planning on using their first-round pick in the draft on another player, they hope to land Aguilar with their second-round pick. There are currently 16 D-League teams, and it’s not yet clear where the Warriors, who were known last season as the Dakota Wizards, will land in the order of drafting. The draft is set in the first week of November. “They (the Warriors) said they would draft him if he is still available when their turn comes in the draft,” Balayon said. “That's good to hear because they really value him. They even think na maunahan sila. Kasi their very first pick has already been promised to someone else. But their second pick daw will be for Japeth. All we need to do now is wait for the draft. “My concern right now is that if he gets drafted by a team other than the Warriors, he might not get the playing time he needs to improve and get to the NBA. I hope if a team drafts him they really intend to play him.” Yahoo! Sports Philippines

Golden State Warriors, Draft, D-League, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

Aguilar, for his part, held another private workout, this time with Tom Sellers, a scout of the New Orleans Hornets, in news that came out of popular baksetball website HoopsHype.com recently. "Filipino forward Japeth Aguilar had a workout with Hornets' scout Don Sellers in attendance, agent Chris McGarry told HoopsHype," said HoopsHype's official Twitter account. philstar.com

New Orleans Hornets, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

After two days and more than six hours of workouts, National Basketball Association New Orleans Hornets scout Don Sellers likes Japeth Aguilar’s game but deep down doesn’t believe the former Philippine Basketball Association No. 1 pick is ready for the big show yet. Sellers, who serves as an advanced personnel scout for the Hornets, likes Aguilar’s athleticism, agility and potential but feels the 6’9” Filipino needs to become more aggressive and develop “toughness” to play in the next level - the NBA. “I think he’s a work in progress,” he said. “I like some of the skills he brings to the table. Again, I want to reiterate this, he needs to become more of a westernized player which you saw today he’s made a commitment in doing. ” Asian Journal

New Orleans Hornets, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

National U's Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. has joined Japeth Aguilar in pursuit of becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to play in the NBA. Bobby Parks, Sr., Bobby Ray's father, yesterday told The STAR there are two NBA teams interested in inviting his son to attend separate training camps in the United States right after the ongoing 75th UAAP season. "I can't say until they make it official but we're drawing interest from the NBA," said Parks, the former seven-time PBA Best Import who is coaching the San Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Basketball League. philstar.com

New Orleans Hornets, Philippines, Training Camp, Japeth Aguilar, Bobby Ray Parks 

Filipino basketball player Japeth Aguilar has been invited to a two-day workout for another National Basketball Association (NBA) team this weekend, his agent confirmed to ABS-CBN News. Aguilar’s agent, Chris McGarry, said two NBA teams have contacted him about the 6-foot-9 Filipino forward. One NBA team from the Eastern Conference will also have a workout with Aguilar this weekend. ABS-CBN News

Free Agency, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

The other NBA team, whom McGarry describes as “one of the top five teams in the league” and plays in the Western Conference, is still vetting Aguilar. McGarry said the invitation for Aguilar to workout for that team should arrive shortly. "We're very excited. This is very good for Japeth," said McGarry. "It means observations from try-outs and coaches ranging from the Bakersfield Jam, ex-NBA trainers and staff, are satisfied with what they see in Japeth." ABS-CBN News

Free Agency, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

Two National Basketball Association (NBA) scouts were in attendance to watch former Philippine Basketball Association No. 1 pick Japeth Aguilar on Wednesday. Wearing a certain NBA teams colors, the 6’9” Aguilar certainly dressed the part as a member of that team during his workout at a high school in Woodland Hills, Ca. The scouts, who did not want their affiliation to be named or mentioned, barred ABS-CBN and Asian Journal from attending the private workout. Asian Journal

Free Agency, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

Though it’s been widely reported that the San Antonio Spurs were one of the two teams working out Aguilar on Wednesday, Aguilar’s U.S. based agent Chris McGarry neither confirmed nor denied those reports. “Well, it’s all over the news. As far as we can say we’re not going to disclose any team, [or] disclose any location,” he said. “All we can say is that he [Aguilar] had a private workout and call up and we obliged. All we can say is that we’re happy with what happened. We’re happy with the situation.” Asian Journal

San Antonio Spurs, Free Agency, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

After performing well at the open try out for the Bakersfield Jam over the weekend, Aguilar has received a lot of basketball offers from around the world. His agent said aside from the NBA workout, they’ve received a contract offer from a team from the Chinese Basketball Association, one from the National Basketball League of Canada, and also a call from the Harlem Globetrotters who have expressed a strong interest in the Filipino. Asian Journal

Free Agency, Philippines, Japeth Aguilar 

President Benigno S Aquino III received Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during a courtesy call in Malacanang on Thursday. Spoelstra met with the President after holding a welcome-back press conference at the Marriott Hotel Manila on Thursday. Asian Journal

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is headed back to the Philippines from August 2 to 5, the National Basketball Association announced today. Presented by Gatorade, Spoelstra’s visit has been dubbed as the NBA Trophy Tour, with the Heat mentor bringing along the Larry O’Brien championship trophy for fans to see. It will be the Miami mentor’s third trip to the country. Spoelstra will grace a press conference on August 2, followed by stops at The Block Atrium of SM North Edsa from 2-3 p.m. on August 4; and SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on the same day from 4:30-5:30 p.m. philstar.com

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines 

Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen scored 20 points and threw dunks that electrified the Mall of Asia Arena as he led the visiting US Professional Basketball Alumni, 112-93, over the PBA Legends in the 2012 PLDT All Star Basketball Challenge tonight. Pippen put the big crowd up on their feet when Jason Williams threw a lob pass off the backboard, which he completed with a thundering slam late in the fourth quarter. The NBA legends made true of their promise of putting up a good show as they dazzled the thousands of Filipino basketball fans that packed the new state-of-the-art arena owned by business tycoon Henry Sy's group. philstar.com

Scottie Pippen, Jason Williams, Philippines 

Seven-time rebounding champion Dennis Rodman also got the spotlight when "The Worm" acknowledged his estranged father Philander Rodman Jr., who was wearing a cap with "Yes, Dennis Rodman is my son" emblazoned on it. The retired Navyman has long been based in Angeles, Pampanga. Rodman grabbed the microphone during a timeout in the final 16 seconds of the game and surprised the crowd especially his father. "I haven't seen my father in 42 years. But that's him sitting right there," said Rodman who directed his eyes on his father sitting in the patron section. philstar.com

Dennis Rodman, Philippines 

His animosity towards his father has been long documented but softened his stance in the press conference held yesterday. "I'm surprised my father did not show up. I do not hate the man who brought me into this world. It's just that I have not seen him since he left me when I was five. If ever he would come to watch the game, I'll shake his hand," said Rodman, who was a member of the original "Bad Boys" of Detroit Pistons before he made a name for himself playing alongside Pippen and Michael Jordan in the Chicago Bulls. philstar.com

Dennis Rodman, Philippines