Ateneo Blue Eagle Kirk Long got the go-signal from PBA Commissioner Chito Salud to join the PBA Developmental League Monday, a move which could pave the way for the American to join the PBA.

The 23-year-old Long, who is graduating from Ateneo de Manila University this March, has expressed his desire to join the PBA Draft, but is prevented by his American blood.

Under current draft rules, Long is ineligible to submit his name to the pool because he lacks any Filipino ancestry.

Long's argument though is that he has live an extraordinary amount of time in the Philippines. He spent four years in high school at Faith Academy, located in Rizal, Antipolo, before enrolling at Ateneo, studying there and playing five years in the UAAP.

In a manner of thinking, Long has spent nine years establishing his residency.

While the league office has not yet given him permission to join the PBA, a stint in the D-League may be the next step towards getting that.

Under current PBA rules, any Fil-foreign player must have played at least two conferences in the D-League before becoming eligible for the draft.

It is thus possible that Salud will grant Long a special exemption to be classified as a Fil-foreigner following the above guidelines.

Entering college as a deadeye scorer, Long morphed into a shutdown defender over his five years as a Blue Eagle, under the coaching of Norman Black. His contributions helped Ateneo to four straight UAAP titles.

He was also recently named the Model Collegiate Player of the Year by the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.

In addition to basketball, Long also excels at baseball, where he is an outfielder for the Ateneo Blue Batters team that will compete for a UAAP title.

Source: Adrian Dy, GMA News

does the PBA allow naturalized players to play in the PBA? Because even if he resides in the Philippines for 9 years already, the Philippine constitution stipulates that a person can be naturalized if he resided in the country for no less than 10 straight years. If that's the case, if Long will enter the D - league, he will most probably get the 10th year of his residence in the Philippines. That would make him a candidate for Naturalization. But I wonder though, if naturalized players would be allowed to play in the PBA, how come Marcus Doughtit is still considered an import, where in fact he is already a naturalized citizen?

Kirk Long? reminds me of Alex Compton and i have the feeling na they will have the same destiny in terms of Philippine basketball career

PBA D-League or ABL would be fine.

But in the PBA, I doubt. It will just create a bad precedent, and besides bakit ngayon lang nila babaguhin ang rules, it would be unfair for some foreign players like Compton before.

I dont see any reason why the PBA will make an exception for Kirk Long. He's not a Filipino, end of story.

bakit yung isang player ng adamson si austin manyara naglalaro sa d-league? fil-foreign ba yun? for me di dapat sya maglaro sa pba kasi wala naman sya halong pinoy mas nawawalan na nga ng chance yung talaga mga pinoy dahil sa mga fil-forein tapos hahaluan pa ng foreign, masisira na talaga crebilidad ng pba nyan, siguro kung abl or sa national team pwd pa, baka dun makatulong pa sya

BasketBallFan wrote:Kirk Long? reminds me of Alex Compton and i have the feeling na they will have the same destiny in terms of Philippine basketball career

Malabo mangyari yan, isa ako sa mag-proprotest pag nakatuntong nang PBA yan.

shikaku wrote:bakit yung isang player ng adamson si austin manyara naglalaro sa d-league? fil-foreign ba yun? for me di dapat sya maglaro sa pba kasi wala naman sya halong pinoy mas nawawalan na nga ng chance yung talaga mga pinoy dahil sa mga fil-forein tapos hahaluan pa ng foreign, masisira na talaga crebilidad ng pba nyan, siguro kung abl or sa national team pwd pa, baka dun makatulong pa sya

sponsored kase nang Freego yung Adamson Team, kaya pwede isama lahat nang Players, parang yung kay Sudan nang SBC, sponsored dati nang Maynilad.

hanggang D-League lang yan, saka mas asar ako kay Kirk Long, talagang pinalandakan pa niya na may karapatan siya sumali sa PBA.

die hard fanatik wrote:

shikaku wrote:bakit yung isang player ng adamson si austin manyara naglalaro sa d-league? fil-foreign ba yun? for me di dapat sya maglaro sa pba kasi wala naman sya halong pinoy mas nawawalan na nga ng chance yung talaga mga pinoy dahil sa mga fil-forein tapos hahaluan pa ng foreign, masisira na talaga crebilidad ng pba nyan, siguro kung abl or sa national team pwd pa, baka dun makatulong pa sya

sponsored kase nang Freego yung Adamson Team, kaya pwede isama lahat nang Players, parang yung kay Sudan nang SBC, sponsored dati nang Maynilad.

hanggang D-League lang yan, saka mas asar ako kay Kirk Long, talagang pinalandakan pa niya na may karapatan siya sumali sa PBA.

ah yun pala yun thanks for the info, well siguro masyado lang natuwa si kirk long but dapat hanngang d-league na lang din sya or sa abl na lang sya

shikaku wrote:

die hard fanatik wrote:

sponsored kase nang Freego yung Adamson Team, kaya pwede isama lahat nang Players, parang yung kay Sudan nang SBC, sponsored dati nang Maynilad.

hanggang D-League lang yan, saka mas asar ako kay Kirk Long, talagang pinalandakan pa niya na may karapatan siya sumali sa PBA.

ah yun pala yun thanks for the info, well siguro masyado lang natuwa si kirk long but dapat hanngang d-league na lang din sya or sa abl na lang sya

maski nga sa d-league wala siyang karapatan, PBA din yun e.

shikaku wrote:bakit yung isang player ng adamson si austin manyara naglalaro sa d-league? fil-foreign ba yun? for me di dapat sya maglaro sa pba kasi wala naman sya halong pinoy mas nawawalan na nga ng chance yung talaga mga pinoy dahil sa mga fil-forein tapos hahaluan pa ng foreign, masisira na talaga crebilidad ng pba nyan, siguro kung abl or sa national team pwd pa, baka dun makatulong pa sya

I have to agree with you. Many grown ups nowadays always tell me that the PBA before is way more exciting than now. and one of the reasons is because all players then are PURE filipinos. no phil - am or whatsoever half - blooded players.

Walang dugong noypi ay walang karapatan sa liga ng bayan.

For me okay lang sana tong mga ganitong exceptions but the problem here is that if they approve this meaning Long to enter in PBA draft. This will pave the way for others to do the same citing the above circumstances. PBA team might then try to falsify imported players to be able to qualify for PBA draft. So this is a Big No No. Rules are rules, they need to implement it even with Long or Comptons case.

Jelocortez wrote:For me okay lang sana tong mga ganitong exceptions but the problem here is that if they approve this meaning Long to enter in PBA draft. This will pave the way for others to do the same citing the above circumstances. PBA team might then try to falsify imported players to be able to qualify for PBA draft. So this is a Big No No. Rules are rules, they need to implement it even with Long or Comptons case.

actually alex compton play as import nung sa welcoat, nagkaron kasi ata nun ng rules na yung lowest seeded team after the all filipino cup magkakaron ng 2 import, actuallty 1 and half import , so si compton yung half import na yun so if ever baka ganun din mangyari kaya kirk long

shikaku wrote:

Jelocortez wrote:For me okay lang sana tong mga ganitong exceptions but the problem here is that if they approve this meaning Long to enter in PBA draft. This will pave the way for others to do the same citing the above circumstances. PBA team might then try to falsify imported players to be able to qualify for PBA draft. So this is a Big No No. Rules are rules, they need to implement it even with Long or Comptons case.

actually alex compton play as import nung sa welcoat, nagkaron kasi ata nun ng rules na yung lowest seeded team after the all filipino cup magkakaron ng 2 import, actuallty 1 and half import , so si compton yung half import na yun so if ever baka ganun din mangyari kaya kirk long

No offense to Kirk Long, ang layo nang laro niya kay Compton.

According to Willy Marcial, Kirk Long allowed only to play in PBA D-League at hanggang doon nalang at hindi sa PBA dahil hindi naman siya half filipino...

shikaku wrote:

Jelocortez wrote:For me okay lang sana tong mga ganitong exceptions but the problem here is that if they approve this meaning Long to enter in PBA draft. This will pave the way for others to do the same citing the above circumstances. PBA team might then try to falsify imported players to be able to qualify for PBA draft. So this is a Big No No. Rules are rules, they need to implement it even with Long or Comptons case.

actually alex compton play as import nung sa welcoat, nagkaron kasi ata nun ng rules na yung lowest seeded team after the all filipino cup magkakaron ng 2 import, actuallty 1 and half import , so si compton yung half import na yun so if ever baka ganun din mangyari kaya kirk long

Yes, I know that, I just cited Compton's case because he tried to plead the same case to be able to play the PBA as a local. But to no avail. And yes they did approve him to play as an import not as a local