Still rarin' to wear that Gilas on his chest.
Yes, Justin Brownlee has proven to be a gem for Gilas Pilipinas. But it still makes sense to look ahead and maybe create a pool of naturalized players—something other countries, like Japan, Lebanon, Indonesia, and Qatar, have been doing.
In such case, the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) might want to get in touch with Chris McCullough, who led the San Miguel Beermen to the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup title. After all, C-Mac ticks all the boxes: He is 6-foot-10, is versatile, and can score inside and out. He is also right in his prime at just 28 years old—or 6 years younger than the 34-year-old Brownlee. But, perhaps most important of all, McCullough wants to play for the Philippines.
And the former PBA champion made it clear once more in response to a tweet vouching for McCullough as the country’s next naturalized player.
Take a look:
Of course, that is not the first time McCullough has expressed his earnest desire to don that Gilas jersey. In fact, the Jollibee-loving American has been shooting his shot with Gilas for nearly four years now, first volunteering his services in 2019 with this tweet:
Since then, McCullough has remained steadfast in wanting to play for the Philippines—even if he seemed hurt or exasperated at one point for getting snubbed over and over again.
It goes without saying that C-Mac, who held his own against NBA veteran Terrence Jones the last time he played here, genuinely wants to play for Gilas. The reason why SBP continues to kick McCullough to the curb remains unknown.
McCullough’s ACL injury might be a factor. But he is healthy now and is set to return to action.
Maybe the SBP should start taking a closer look.