As an import who played in the PBA for 13 seasons, Sean Chambers had a dream of playing for the Philippine team.
“That’s what me, Norman Black and Bobby Parks were hoping for when we were still playing in the PBA,” Chambers told Pinoystep.com in a telephone interview. “Unfortunately, during that time, naturalization wasn’t made possible.”
Black and Parks had at least represented a Philippine squad playing either in an exhibition game or competing in an international invitational event.
Among the three, Black is the more seasoned player and several times during the early 1990s, he reinforced a selection of PBA players battling a visiting Chinese squad.
In fact, Black was even considered to become a naturalized player and follow the footsteps of Chip Engelland, Jeff Moore and Dennis Still, players who became Filipino players and represented the national squad in major international tournaments during the 1980s.
A two-time Best Import, Black last played for the San Miguel franchise, and the idea of having him as a naturalized player didn’t come as surprise as the Northern Consolidated Cement-backed national team’s program was a brainchild of the late Danding Cojuangco, who then has the controlling shares of the said c0nglomerate.
But because of the EDSA Revolution, the program was scrapped, and that includes the plan of making Black a naturalized player.
Even after the late great import Parks became a seven-time Best Import awardee in Asia’s pioneering professional basketball league, he continued with his career playing as import in Indonesia.
In the 1996 ABC Champions Cup, Parks teamed up with another great import, Tony Harris, the record holder for most points scored in a single game in the PBA with 105, as they led the Hapee-Philippine squad in winning the crown.
Chambers is now relishing the opportunity of representing the Philippine team in a different capacity as he was included in the coaching staff of Tim Cone as Gilas Pilipinas embarks in a new mission of competing in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
This early, the team is having a tune up game with Turkey, which will help the squad’s build up as it shoots for an elusive Olympic berth.
“When I was given opportunity to coach a team in the Philippines, part of my wish list is to be a part of the national team. It was a dream come true for me. Not only is I’m now fulfilling my dream of becoming a part of the Philippine squad, but it gives me a chance to reunite with Tim Cone,” said Chambers, who won all his six championships playing with the American mentor, including a grand slam in 1996.
According to Chambers, size is a luxury the Philippines had over the previous years following the inclusion of 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, but the multiple-time PBA Best Import who shared the distinction with Black as the only other player to be given the award “Mr. 100 Percent Performance,” believes June Mar Fajardo is the real deal.
“June Mar is undoubtedly the best player out there for Gilas, but I’m also amazed at the versatility of Dwight Ramos and the work ethic of Chris Newsome. Gilas have a great mix of players,” added Chambers.
