Philippine Pride in PBA Draft (or lack thereof?)

I watched the recently-concluded PBA draft a few moments ago and I was a bit surprised at what I saw. A significant number of draft applicants, and players do not even know the Philippine National Anthem.

For crying out loud, you are playing or are applying to play for the PHILIPPINE basketball association. You should at least know the national anthem because applicants and most players are supposed to be Filipinos. I have nothing against bringing Fil-Am players to come over and play for Asia's first play-for-pay league, but you are Filipinos, you should at least know the anthem of your motherland!

There was an interview with this draftee, and the interviewer asked him what he expects from the PBA. He said something like, "I don't really know what to expect. I mean going here, and leaving my family back home (the US), and playing here is going to be a great experience for me."

I found it funny that he calls the US as his home, but he simply called the Philippines as here. I can't really blame him, if he had the choice, he'd play for an NBA team without thinking twice. Like the case of most Fil-foreigners, he came here to play because his level of play is not good enough for the level of play in the NBA. Other than that, most foreign players, especially those from NCAA Division I teams have a much bigger chance in becoming a star in the PBA than even qualifying for the draft in the NBA.

Take Gabe Norwood for example, he got a special consideration from the PBA because he could not meet the deadline for legal documents. The PBA gave him, and other Fil-Am applicants more time to submit their documents so that they could be entered in the draft. Even DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez himself was the one who allowed Norwood's papers to be released.

If it wasn't for Gonzalez' "opinion" on Norwood's situation, he and the other Fil-Foreign players would have not been able to join the 2008 PBA Draft.

Would these players show more Philippine pride in the years to come?

I really hope so.