Andray Blatche speaks out about being cut from Gilas Pilipinas roster

“The way this was handled was not a good representation of Filipinos in general, who are kind and hospitable and loyal.” – Andray Blatche (Photo: Chooks-To-Go Gilas Pilipinas/Facebook)

After not being chosen for the final Gilas Pilipinas roster competing in the fifth leg of the upcoming FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, naturalized Filipino player Andray Blatche speaks out about his opinions on Team Pilipinas Head Coach Yeng Guiao’s decision.

Blatche posted his statement on the ESPN 5 Facebook page sharing that it was “ a bit of a shocker” for him when news reports were released that he was not part of the lineup, stating, “No one from the SBP (Samahang Basketball Pilpinas, Inc.) actually communicated with me or my international agents before the news was released. I think it was a very unprofessional way to handle someone like me, who has so much invested in the Gilas program.”

Blatche, who grew up in New York and even had a stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA) considers Filipino fans “the best in the world,” but said, “The way this was handled was not a good representation of Filipinos in general, who are kind and hospitable and loyal. I think Filipino basketball players are fantastic because they have mad skills and a passionate heart. I must admit I was very hurt by how carelessly I was discarded.” However, Blatche revealed to The Philippine Star that he was still readily available “should [his] country need [him] in any capacity.”

Blatche, who has played a total of six games for Gilas formerly, averaged 11.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, 2.2 blocked shots, and 28.9 minutes per game during his former FIBA experience. He is still serving his 3-game suspension after his participation in Team Philippines’ brawl against their Australian opponents that happened last July, but stated he initially “looked forward to rejoining the team,” adding, “I really want to help my country rewrite history and win more games in the World Cup.”

In the words of Coach Yeng Guiao about the exclusion of Blatche, “We appreciate what Andray Blatche has done for us previously. It was really a hard decision on our part, but we took into consideration the chemistry that has been built up from the Asian Games to the fourth window (of the World Cup qualifiers).” Guiao’s squad is suiting up for their next game on Friday, November 30 against Kazakhstan, then on December 3 against Iran.