Returning to action on local soil, multi-titled player Greg Slaughter looks forward to reconnect with local fans and feel the love and adulation of the Pinoy crowd, which he still considers by far the most passionate and craziest he had seen.
“That’s what makes me the happiest, how much love the Filipinos have for basketball,” said Slaughter, back in the country after playing for nearly two years with Japan B. League team’s Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka, a second division squad in the Japan B. League.
The MPBL is a league no stranger to Slaughter, who watched how the league exploded in becoming the biggest basketball event in the country in terms of league participation and attracted packed crowds from almost all the venues they played brought about by its home and away format.
“Big crowd. There’s a really big crowd out there in the MPBL,” Slaughter, who won three championships with the UV Lancers in the CESAFI, two titles in Ateneo in the UAAP and four crowns while playing for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the PBA.
“It reminded me of my Cebu days. We used to pack the coliseum out there with me and June Mar (Fajardo) when we were playing. I’m looking forward to play in front of the fans and give them a show.”
Slaughter’s name has always been linked to Fajardo’s ever since when they were competing as rivals in college in the CESAFI and that rivalry spilled over when the former played for the PBA’s most popular team, Ginebra, and Fajardo joined the winningest franchise in league history, San Miguel Beer.
That’s why Slaughter is nothing new to playing in front of humongous crowds and seeing action in the MPBL this season with the Manila Stars gives him a better reason to be excited.
“I’m really happy to be here, I’m so thankful to Boss Raymond (Ang), the SGA Group for bringing me here. I’m excited for the event. I’m happy for the guys I’m with, the coaches, all the players. It’s a long season and I’m looking forward,” said Slaughter.
Playing in a long season that would stretch all the way to 10 months, Slaughter wants to make sure that he’ll be in tip-top condition the moment he plays his first MPBL game, which is why he’s not in a rush to see action in his first game with the Stars.
The seven-foot center is likely to spend more time familiarizing himself with the team’s system and getting to know his teammates better, but more importantly, he wants to make sure that he’ll have his legs and conditioning at full strength in his first game on Philippine soil since leaving the PBA two years ago.
“Right now, I would probably say that I’m still at the 50-percent of my conditioning, My legs are not there yet, but I’ll be there playing soon,” said Slaughter. “Maybe a week or a couple of weeks more.”
Slaughter had already started working out with Manila where he is reconnected with his former Gilas Pilipinas teammate Rabeh Al-Hussaini.
That front court tandem could easily become the tallest combo in the history of the MPBL and fans couldn’t wait to see them in action.
For now, Slaughter wants to temper the excitement as he looks to give the fans their worth in waiting.
Slaughter’s focus right now is to take Manila to the next level and with the roster it has, there’s nowhere to go but up for the Stars.
Having played in the UAAP, the PBA and just recently, the B. League, Slaughter is convinced that the MPBL presents a different level of excitement to the fans.
“I really like the MPBL’s direction, starting with a real season to be played a few months, just like the other leagues in the world,” said Slaughter. “We have a lot of teams with separate owners and we have teams that represent regions. So I like everything that is going in the MPBL.”
“It’s really exciting to play in front of the real home and away format.”
