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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
25
2024
PBA IMAGES
Five-year NBA veteran Antoine Wright is arriving in the country Sunday morning in time to suit up with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in their game against the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the afternoon in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Wright, 32, is bringing with him sterling credentials as he takes over from reigning Best Import awardee Wayne Chism who suffered a hamstring tear early in the third quarter of their game against the Meralco Bolts Wednesday.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, however, said he may decide to play all-Filipino.
“We are prepared to play all-Filipino even if we have Antoine Wright flying in early Sunday morning. We know he has the talent but there’s just not enough time to blend him in,” said Guiao.
“We have our hands full against a team that’s aching to prove itself to their legions of fans. But I still feel we have a chance at winning the game with or without an import,” Guiao also said.
The E-Painters, who split their first two matches, and the Gin Kings, winless in two starts, clash at 5:15 p.m.
Rain or Shine got off to a triumphant debut with a 95-86 conquest of Star before bowing to Meralco, 95-98. Ginebra, meanwhile, dropped an overtime grind versus NLEX, 112-114, then fell in an upset by Globalport, 85-89.
If Wright comes in ready to play, the Gin Kings face the 2005 NBA draft No. 15 selection who went on to play five NBA seasons with the New Jersey Nets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Toronto Raptors and the Sacramento Kings.
The West Covina, California native, listed at 6-foot-7, was highly recruited player coming from a stint with the USA team in the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championship where he averaged 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.
He chose to attend Texas A&M and play under coach Melvin Watkins in a sterling collegiate career marked by his Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year citation, Honorable Mention All-Big 12 in his sophomore year and No. 4 finish in the Big 12 scoring ladder in his junior year.
He passed up his senior year eligibility to join the 2005 NBA draft, leaving 1,338 career points that ranked 10th on the Texas A&M all-time leading scoring list.
In the NBA, he twice averaged 7.3 points in a season with New Jersey in 2007-08 and with Dallas in 2008-09.
He drifted in overseas play after the 2010-11 NBA season.
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