A BIG WELCOME FOR THE POLAR BEAR

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Once upon a time, Meralco import Brian Butch was considered as a possible naturalization candidate for the original incarnation of the Smart Gilas national team.

Obviously, that idea didn’t materialize as Marcus Douthit entered the fray.

But after years of wait, Butch finally arrived in the country as a reinforcement for the Bolts in the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup, and has showed a different skill set which may be said to be comparable to those of NBA stud Dirk Nowitzki.

“The Philippines has been great,” the 6-foot-11 Appleton, Wisconsin native said. “The basketball and the fans are fantastic. It’s just a great experience. Everywhere you go, everyone’s been welcoming and it’s been a great experience so far.”

“Everything has been fantastic. The people are great. My teammates has been fantastic, and it’s a great opportunity for me. All I heard were good things about the Philippines, but as you experience it, it lives up to what I’ve heard,” he said.

Butch said that he has heard the naturalization talks before, and said, “For me, if something like that would happen, it would be exciting and a great opportunity. But right now, I worry on what I can control, and that is to give wins for Meralco.”

“Flattery is the right word,” added The Polar Bear. “There’s no word to explain how the idea of me being considered as a naturalization candidate for the Philippines makes me feel. It’s a great honor and I have to go out there and play well. I know the people knows the skill set that I have but if I don’t go out there and play well, none of that really matters.”

Unlike the majority of the imports who have seen action in the PBA, Butch has been showing a different style of play for a big man, and he can only say that the experience so far is exciting.

“I’ve played a bunch of different styles throughout my career. If they put a small guy on me, I’ll post up. If they put a big guy on me, I’ll bring him outside. It gives me a lot of opportunities to change the type of game and frustrate the defense,” he said.

After stints in China, Greece, Germany, Puerto Rico, and in the NBA D-League, Butch can compare the Philippine style of play as “physical but not overly physical.”

“It’s a little more physical than Greece was, but (the PBA) is where you can still play the game the right way.”

When pressed if being a naturalized player for the country knocks on his doors again, Butch said, “I’d love to play for the national team. I think it would be something great. I know how excited the people get about the game, and to play for the people would be fantastic. They’re crazy in a good way cause they love the game so much. You can see how passionate they are about it. And I can relate to that because that’s how I play the game. I play with passion and energy and that’s the same with them and their teams when they cheer.”

“The Philippines has been a great fit for me, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to experience it.”

Just don’t force him to eat balut again. (RL)

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