HoopsHype.com Rumors

NBA greats Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen strut their stuff before local fans tonight as they take on the local legends in the PLDT All Star Basketball Challenge at the Mall of Asia Arena. The duo, along with fellow former NBA stars Horace Grant, Mitch Richmond, and Jason Williams, expressed excitement over playing before Filipino fans and vowed to put up a show in their one-game exhibition set at 7 p.m. philstar.com

Scottie Pippen, Jason Williams, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Philippines 

“We feel great, excited to be here. We know we have a lot of great, knowledgeable fans here and we hope to put on a great show for them,” said Pippen, the former Chicago star who played alongside the great Michael Jordan in the Bulls’ title romps in the NBA in the 90s. “We’ll show them we’re not over the hill yet, we’ll give it a good show,” said Rodman, who sort of expected his estranged father, Philander, who is based in the country, to show up like he did the first time the rebounding demon visited Phl. philstar.com

Scottie Pippen, Jason Williams, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Philippines 

The ex-NBA greats came straight from the airport to attend yesterday’s presscon at MOA where Pippen, the six-time NBA champ and Hall of Famer, was also asked about his opinion on the supposed comparison between the original 1992 Dream Team and the 2012 US Olympic squad. He said Kobe Bryant and his teammates should first accomplish the task at hand – win the gold in London – before they can start the debate as to which is the better one. “That’s Kobe’s opinion, he has the right to express his opinion for the team and build their confidence up,” said Pippen, referring to Bryant’s remarks that the current US team could beat Pippen’s peers in the Barcelona Games that included fellow Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. “But that’s something we’ll never know the answer to, which is the best thing. If they bring home the gold, then we can start the debate,” he said. philstar.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Scottie Pippen, Jason Williams, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Philippines 

Emiliano Carchia: As I wrote yesterday, former NBA player Mario West, who has played in Legadue with Verona, signed in the Philippines Twitter

Free Agency, Philippines, Mario West 

After losing two in a row in a short PBA Governors’ Cup tournament, (Philippinian team) Powerade has just pushed the panic button. The Tigers decided to give Rashad McCants the pink slip and bring in replacement Omar Sneed. Interaksyon.com

Rashad McCants, Philippines, Omar Sneed 

McCants, an NBA veteran, failed to live up to the team’s expectations as the Tigers lost their first two games and fell to the bottom of the standings. His last game wasn’t that bad as he finished with 23 points, including five triples, but his team lost to the Barako Bull Energy, 106-101. He scored 27 points in his debut against Petron Blaze. Interaksyon.com

Rashad McCants, Philippines 

McGee became known worldwide after competing in the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Competition, becoming the first man to dunk two basketballs on two separate rings at the same time. He first met Reyes when McGee came to the Philippines last July 2011 to play in a two-game series, the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend, with other NBA players including Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose. But it was McGee who made the biggest impression on the Filipino fans, thanks to his dazzling array of powerful dunks and his on-court antics, which included 'planking' – or lying face down – on the floor of the Araneta Coliseum. ABS-CBN News

Denver Nuggets, Javale McGee, Philippines 

"(JaVale) really fell in love with the country, he liked Manila," Reyes said. "JaVale fit all the characteristics I want in a naturalized player." "He's a 7-footer, he's tall, athletic, quick. He's not a slow big man... We felt that he was an ideal choice to be a naturalized Filipino and he agreed, he liked the idea," he added. ABS-CBN News

Denver Nuggets, Javale McGee, Philippines 

The dream of having NBA stalwart JaVale McGee representing the Philippines could become a reality. A bill seeking to grant the high-flying NBA center a Philippine citizenship has been filed Tuesday by Antipolo City Representative Roberto V. Puno in a move to boost the line-up of the national basketball team. Puno, who also initiated 6-foot-10 center Marcus Douthit’s naturalization two years ago, sponsored House Bill No. 6169 before the Fifteenth Congress. Inquirer.net

Denver Nuggets, Javale McGee, Philippines 

Volatile NBA veteran Bonzi Wells is open to playing in the PBA but which team is willing to give him a chance? Wells, 35, played 10 years in the NBA, averaging 12.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 591 career games with Portland, Memphis, Sacramento, Houston and New Orleans. Throughout his NBA journey, he was hounded by controversy. Wells once admitted to media “I black out sometimes” when asked why he made an obscene gesture to a jeering fan. philstar.com

Philippines, Bonzi Wells 

And if the required process is satisfied in time, the Nationals will have a taller and more dominant center in NBA player Javale McGee for the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship which serves as the regional qualifier for the world joust. National coach Chot Reyes divulged that McGee’s bid for naturalization is now being pushed in Congress. At the moment, Reyes has got Marcus Douthit plus the 16 players he named from the PBA. He’s also forming a cadet pool from the amateur ranks. philstar.com

Javale McGee, Philippines 

Former NBA big man Earl Barron signed a deal in the Philippines with Meralco Bolts. The big man has played two games with the Warriors in the current NBA season scoring 2ppg. Sportando

Earl Barron, Philippines 

Emiliano Carchia: According to Primera Hora, Allen Iverson has offers also from Venezuela, Iran and Philippines Twitter

Free Agency, Allen Iverson, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Venezuela 

NBA Hall of Famer Alex English will be in town for only a week to observe the Petron Blaze Boosters, particularly big men Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Carlo Sharma and Noy Baclao whom he will train for two months next year. “We believe a two-month period of training is enough. Alex English doesn’t need to be here year round,” said SMC basketball operations chief Robert Non. philstar.com

Philippines, Alex English 

If everything falls into place, Smart Gilas Pilipinas will have the Washington Wizards’ seven-foot center JaVale McGee as naturalized player for the next FIBA Asia championship. McGee had been in the country twice in the last four months and, in his last visit, expressed willingness to be part of the Philippine team vying for a slot in the 2014 World Championship. philstar.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, FIBA, Philippines 

The STAR source said McGee and the Smart Gilas people have reached an agreement to pursue the same direction Marcus Douthit had gone through enabling the latter to play for the Phl team in the recent Asian joust in Tianjin, China. “If ever, we will have a taller, younger naturalized player to match up with Hamed Haddadi, Yi Jianglian and the like,” The STAR source said. philstar.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, FIBA, Philippines 

With the NBA lockout in full swing, McGee said expressed openness about the possibility of playing in the Philippines. “It’s a great idea, but I don’t know for sure,” he said. “If I play for another country, the Philippines would definitely be a consideration.” Interaksyon.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, Lockout, Philippines 

Another distinct possibility for McGee would be to suit up for the Philippine national team as a naturalized player. In the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship, Marcus Douthit, a naturalized American, carried the cudgels for the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team. While McGee remains non-commital, he said that he loves the passion of Filipino basketball fans. “Definitely, just the crowd and the energy the Filipino fans bring [is great],” he said. “It would make me happy to come back to the Philippines.” Interaksyon.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, FIBA, Philippines 

Washington Wizards big man JaVale McGee will return to the Philippines for a big man skills development camp, according to Talk N Text head coach Chot Reyes. "Plans are afoot for McGee to do a big man skills development clinic with Norman Black and Alton Lister, care of SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) and MVP Sports Foundation," he announced through Twitter. McGee himself confirmed his return, tweeting: "Thank you to MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan), Coach Chot and Smart for bringing P (Pierre McGee, his alter ego) back to the Philippines!" ABS-CBN News

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, Lockout, Philippines 

Instead, Spoelstra signed to play with a second-tier German team and then joined the Heat in 1995 as video coordinator. The plan to play in the Philippines fell through when he heard he might have to spend a season in the minor leagues while waiting to receive dual citizenship instead of going straight to the PBA. "It got delayed, and I never got an affirmative answer," Spoelstra said. "I couldn't just get drafted from the States. There was some kind of plan, but it sounded really shady, so I ended up playing for peanuts in front of 500 people in Germany. Looking back on it, it was a crazy decision." Grantland

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Philippines