This is an image of CJ Perez and Robert Bolick when they were still like the LPU Pirates and San Beda Red Lions.
Now take a look at their other collegiate uniform.
Hmmm...
And for Baby Beast, he started his college career with the San Sebastian Golden Stags.
UAAP made a bold move to revise their old residency rules.
The old rule had a one-year residency requirement for transfer students.
The new rule has two.
Following the obscene amount of transferees the league, as well as the NCAA, the rival league, I am leaning towards the two-year rule.
So yeah, I am in favor of the change.
I have a variety of reasons.
Some coaches turn into Pied Pipers the moment they leave one school to sign with another school. All of a sudden, the players they recruited are packaged with their departure. They scouted the players from either the provinces or even outside the Philippines. The player has a choice to carve his path or join the coach who gave him the break.
In the same breath, we also have the corporate sponsors. How is it that the moment the SMC Group moved from Letran to Perpetual, some Perpetual players moved to Letran? Not to be outdone, Perpetual is suddenly swarmed by UAAP transferees.
Also, we have had the likes of Ryan Buenafe, Arvin Tolentino, CJ Perez, and Thirdy Ravena sit out a season or transfer to another school because of academic deficiencies. Forthsky Padrigao is one example of moving from Ateneo to UST.
And of course, playing time is also an important variable.
For me, academic deficiencies and playing time, and I guess unfortunate situations that I don't want to mention here, should be the only reasons why a player needs to move from one school to another.
The UP Fighting Maroons understandably had a bunch of winless seasons because you need to be good at basketball and at the same time, maintain good grades. The same can be said with Ateneo - which is what we initially think when the best collegiate ballers like Buenafe and Thirdy either sit out a season or transfer to another school.
When I studied at UST, the school rarely accepted transfer students.
I just don't want the idea that the school is a "bagsakan" of players with poor grades. I had a lot of smart friends that wanted to transfer to UST but because they are transferees, they either had to luck out, or just try in other schools. These friends either ended up in other U-Belt schools or entered UST with a different course, with hopes of shifting to their preferred college in the future.
I know the best players bring pride and prestige to schools, but how can this be if the players are the ones moving from one place to another?
UP, Ateneo, DLSU, and UST, as well as San Beda in the NCAA are also known for their academic standing. This is why usually, the transferees downgrade but never upgrade. CJ Cansino went from UST to UP, Padrigao went from Ateneo to UST, Jacob Cortez went from San Beda to DLSU, and most recently, Mason Amos went from Ateneo to DLSU. Cansino went to UP because of UST's Bicol lockdown scandal, Padrigao left Ateneo due to academic deficiencies, Cortez left San Beda so he could play for his dad's alma mater, and Amos switched sides because he had an issue with the Ateneo basketball program.
But what are the other reasons for the other players?
I am not belittling other schools, but what does it say to a school if they only employ players who are just looking to play basketball?
And mind you, I said players. Not students.
The collegiate leagues have transformed into semi-pro havens for eligible players. I don't want to speculate on their incentives, but I just know that frequent transferees tend to max out their eligibility, which is why they enter the PBA either in their prime or after their prime. I get players like Bryan Sajonia, who went from FEU to San Beda, or Penny Estacio, who went from DLSU to San Beda to get more playing time. Or Jimboy Estrada, the former NAASCU rookie MVP who has since transferred to the Letran Knights because moving to the NCAA will further strengthen his dreams to turn pro.
The UAAP two-year residency rule will make it hard for players to leave their schools. A player like Amos, who is going to be a top player anywhere he plays, will have a tougher decision if and when he ditches his new college for another college.
The move restores the schools as schools, and not just college teams. These players have to study and maintain a grade average rather than move to another school if the expectations are not met.
I am a BIG FAN that if a student wants to play basketball, then he needs to get out of his school and move to the pros while he is still in his prime. Luka Doncic is an incoming seven-year player in the NBA and is a five-time All-NBA First Teamer.
Jerom Lastimosa is already 26 years old.
The young core of Gilas Pilipinas are already in their mid-20s and except for Dwight Ramos and Kai Sotto, all of them are playing second fiddle to the mid-30s PBA stars. Ramos, Sotto, Carl Tamayo, and Rhenz Abando improved their craft by moving out of college to go to other parts of the globe.
This is why I don't agree with Senator Pia Cayetano. If a student wants to become a better basketball player, then he should concentrate on becoming one. But if a player wants to become a basketball player and have a fallback, then he needs to study as well.
Jett Manuel spent one year in the pros before retiring and it's impossible to shrug off a UP grad with speaking skills and an engineering degree. Jacob Lao became top management after his college days. Scottie Thompson finished his studies while playing for Ginebra.
Meanwhile, guys like Jerie Pingoy, Soc Rivera, and Mark Kong got lost in the shuffle because they switched from team to team.
And speaking of Scottie Thompson, if a UAAP to UAAP move is for two years, then they can just switch leagues if they are that bent on transferring. Aside from Sajonia and Estacio, other players who enjoying the switch are Deo Cuajao, Harvey Pagsanjan, and reigning NCAA MVP Clint Escamis.
Again, if the players want to play basketball, then they should just hone their craft while they still can. Otherwise, multitasking studies and basketball, especially if a player has a hard time doing good in both of them, will be the doom of both of his dreams.