I guess this is why I want the PBA to re-configure their requirements.
Over the decade, we have seen an excessive amount of college students transferring to other schools. It's like they are practicing the PBA free agency right now. I can understand a player's decision to switch alma maters if they lack playing time, or if the college suspended them for academic deficiencies. Hell, I can even get that a player needs to transfer colleges if he has beef with the team officials.
It's just that ever since college teams have been backed by major corporations, it feels like the UAAP and the NCAA have turned into some sort of developmental league.
Jacob Cortez has decided to move out of the San Beda squad. Reports suggest that he is going to take his talents to the DLSU Green Archers. While yeah, Jacob is going to leave a champion team, he's also going to join a champion team. He is also going to follow the footsteps of PBA legend Mike Cortez, as well as outgoing DLSU point guard Evan Nelle.
It's unfortunate that Cortez is going to leave San Beda because it's not like he's going to lose his playing time despite the Lions' platoon of point guards. It's just that if he stays with the team, he's going to carve his niche instead of becoming the 2.0 version of his dad.
But again, that's his preference. This is like when Rhenz Abando, Mark Nonoy, Brent Paraiso, and CJ Cansino left UST after that Bicol bubble debacle. This is also like Allen Liwag's move from EAC to Benilde. Liwag might be the star of the Generals but as far as PBA chances, the most recent PBA players to come out from the EAC program are Sidney Onwubere, Jan Jamon, and Ronjay Buenafe. Unless EAC pulls a Perpetual (getting backed by a major corp like SMC,) the only way for a player to gauge his pro path is through team history (Benilde also has dibs on the Strong Group/Mighty Sports program.)
Forthsky Padrigao is another player that switched schools - moving from a notorious PBA target Ateneo to a notorious PBA target in the '90s, the UST Growling Tigers.
I just remembered that Jacob Cortez is a former UST Tiger Cub.
Maybe I am just jumping the gun on the whole DLSU thing and perhaps he's going to re-join the squad?
One can dream?
And this is not just a NCAA to UAAP move as the last three NCAA MVPs were snatched from UAAP schools. The aforementioned Abando went from UST to Letran in Season 97, former UP player and outgoing Benilde Blazer Will Gozum won MVP honors in Season 98, and reigning MVP Clint Ecsamis, formerly of the UE Warriors before re-joining the Mapua program.
Again, I don't fault the players.
However as mentioned at the start of the blog, the PBA needs to adjust its requirements.
Here's the thing - Will Gozum is going to be 25 years old if he applies for next year's draft. For some players, this is not being PBA-ready, but it's about whether or not a player would plateau when he moves to the next level. Both Cortez and Liwag will turn 22 in 2024 while Ecsamis is going to be 24 this year. Brent Paraiso joined the PBA as a 28-year-old rookie and is now about to turn 29.
Have you seen the blog I made a couple of months ago???
If the talent in the PBA is that imbalanced at the moment, if the players are heading overseas to strike opportunity and financial stability, and if the players are just switching teams, then maybe it's time for the PBA to change. Again, Asian leagues are getting our players so they can learn the game in our eyes. PBA fans never got the Asian imports because we never thought highly of their game despite having the stars of East Asia and the Middle East. Maybe it's time for the PBA to rethink this idea. If the rookies are getting older by the year, maybe these players can do a Scottie Thompson in the sense of playing in the PBA first while finishing up their studies.
Again, I am not faulting the players here, and even the PBA for that matter because having a degree to fall back on is ideal in any way you look at it.
But if we want to have the best players in their best years, maybe it's time for the entire basketball program to change?