Basketball isn’t just a sport for giants: Many ‘short’ players have seen success, too

I recently read the letter “Realign support from basketball to football” (1/11/23) by former Pampanga Football Association president James M. Imbong. He proposed that colleges and universities in the Philippines should focus more on football, saying that, together with principal basketball supporters Ramon Ang and Manny Pangilinan, “the heads of colleges and universities through the Philippine Basketball Association, University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and National Collegiate Athletic Association can become better patriots if they can further innovate and realign their support from basketball to football.” This does not sit well with me.

Imbong believes that basketball is a sport that requires a player to have a towering height to become successful. As a former basketball varsity player and an avid fan of the game, I am not completely on board with his statements. Granted, Filipinos are undeniably small(er) by nature compared with people from other countries, especially those from the West. However, it isn’t exactly a disadvantage. In the NBA alone, there are many successful “short” basketball players who are widely considered to be among the league’s greats, having made an impact through their athletic prowess. Some examples are Allen Iverson (6’0”), Nate Robinson (5’9”), Isaiah Thomas (5’9”), and Spud Webb (5’6”).

Another thing to consider is how the Philippines, as the top dog in Southeast Asia, has a respectable standing in competitive basketball beyond the region. Gilas Pilipinas dominated the Southeast Asian Games for over 40 years, successfully capturing gold 18 times in the last 21 editions of the biennial sporting event since the Philippines joined it in 1977. The only times we failed to win were in 1979 and 1989 when we lost in the finals to Malaysia and in 2022 when Indonesia edged us out for the gold. At this year’s upcoming SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, we expect our cagers to redeem themselves and reclaim the championship.

Our SEA Games dominance is proof that the smaller-sized Filipinos can hang with the giants. Still don’t believe me? Gilas Pilipinas had on their 2011-2014 roster Jimmy Alapag, a 5-foot-7 guard who was nicknamed “The Mighty Mouse.” He was one of the smallest guys on the court, but he had one of the biggest hearts. A lethal three-point shooter who had crazy court vision and the instincts of a leader, he successfully led the Philippines in qualifying for and competing in the Fiba World Cup a number of times. Now a retired basketball player, Alapag is currently an assistant coach for the Stockton Kings in the NBA G League. In his own way, he was able to achieve what many Filipino basketball players dream of, which is to make it to the NBA.

Imbong’s bias for football is quite understandable. But for him, to box out basketball and promote football alone is rather self-centered in my book. In high school, I played for the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School-Quezon City for two school years (2013-2015). Standing 5-foot-9, I had to play either as a power forward or center due to my team’s lack of height. I was naturally a guard who loved facilitating plays and creating offense for my teammates. However, because of these circumstances, I had to learn how to play big man despite my height disadvantage.

Just like any serious athlete, I put in the work every day in order to increase my leaping ability, get better at playing defense, and learn how to slay the giants. As a result, I developed a variety of new skills and moves that I have since added to my arsenal. Thanks to these adjustments, I’ve transformed into a two-way player who can play guard on offense and big man on defense. In fact, it has become second nature to me to deny the shot of the tallest guy from the opposing team, even during recreational games. At the end of the day, if you work hard to reach your goals, nothing is impossible.

Having said that, I think people — especially in this democratic nation of ours — should just be free to choose whichever sport they wish to pursue, support, or watch. The Philippines may be a basketball-loving country, but that doesn’t mean that every single Filipino must follow that sport alone. Never have I read a basketball-centric article that dismisses other sports the way Imbong wrote his letter to campaign for football.

Rather than pulling basketball down, football enthusiasts should work extra hard to help uplift the sport they love.

ITIEL G. ESTUDILLO
Quezon City