EXODUS

Excerpt from the Old Testament, Moises led the Hebrews out of Egypt and headed to the "Promise Land" to seek a better life and greener pasture. Ahhh?...yes, greener pasture. These reminds of the current state of professional basketball in the country.

Nowadays our young and more talented players are no longer eying or dreaming to seek their future in Asia's first pro-league and some are even hesitant to play for flag and country in an international competition, unless there's a monetary consideration to cover the loss, while playing for the national team.

It seems making to the Philippine Basketball Association(PBA), is no longer the ultimate goal of our younger talents as evident that we're not alone anymore as our Asian neighbors have put up their own professional basketball league like Japan (B-League), South Korean (Korean Basketball League), China (Chinese Basketball League), Taiwan (Taiwan League) and even Australia.

It was also said and reported that those leagues are offering a more lucrative prize almost triple the amount PBA has to offer, thus enticing or lured our younger and more skilled players to grab the opportunity and give their respective family in the country a better living condition and prosperous life.

In one of the report , if I may quote. For Asian import, could get as much as $55,000 or P2.8 million a month in the Japan B-League alone , compare to offer by teams in the PBA and my recollection, the highest local player ever paid in the PBA less than P10 million spread into five years. With this kind of offer, saw the mass exodus of younger talents have fled to the country of the Raising Sun.

Recently, three more younger talents are confirmed and headed to Korea to play for KBL, UAAP MVP and Gilas-Pilipinas future Kevin Quiambao, Jordan Heading and Carl Tamayo, who previously played in the B-League. The three will be join Renz Abando, A.J Abbarientos and M.J Balaquil.

It was also reported that the Japan League plan to increase offers to foreign players from the current $55,000 to 150,000,000 yen equivalent to P 55,564,125.00 million. No wonder even NBA and NBL players are trying to make their way to Japan. Even our tallest and NBA prospective player in 7" 3' Kai Sotto showing his prowess and great potentials with the Yokohama B-Corsaire.

Other Filipino players also making waves in the B-League are Dwight Ramos, who skipped his remaininng playing year in Ateneo to play for the Toyoma Grouses, Bobby Ray Parks (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Juan and Javi Gomez, Ken Mark Carino and Matt Aquino, all four likewise skipped their remaining years in the UAAP.

Though these promise and expressed to return if their call to play for the national team in preparation for upcoming international competition Asian Games, Olympic Qualifying Tournament, World Cup and among other major event sanction by FIBA.

The mass exodus saw most the of the country's top player are now playing either in Japan, Korea or Taiwan, thus leaving PBA with crams or worst left overs? This is something that the PBA Board of Governors , the Samahan ng Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) should consider and do something, not a policy that would control their goal for a families future but something that would be a win-win situation.