Selecting the next national coach

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas announced on Thursday that a selection committee has been formed to choose the composition of the National Men’s Team, including the head coach.  This statement indicated that the current Gilas Pilipinas squad, led by national coach Chot Reyes, could be facing a revamp soon.

“The SBP has approved the creation of a committee tasked to select the head coach of the national team and players from the PBA that would form the national pool,” PBA Commissioner Chito Salud said through a statement released by PBA Media Bureau Chief Willie Marcial.

"The SBP is not dissolving or discontinuing the Gilas Program. It is a successful program that has the PBA's full support. The formation by the SBP of a Selection Committee to choose a head coach for the Gilas National Team, to create a pool of players from which the National Team can draw, and to synchronize the PBA calendar and the Gilas National Team training schedule is proof of a stronger collaborative effort on the part of the SBP and the PBA, its team owners and governors, as well as other stakeholders, to fine tune the Gilas basketball program.

The objective of the Selection Committee is clear: to consolidate the gains of the existing program and to chart a strategic course to improve current performance. This process will adopt a systematic, methodical and inclusive approach to ensure that Philippine basketball becomes more competitive internationally both in the short and long term," Salud added.

Okay, so from this statement, it appears that the SBP and PBA will be collaborating to form a more competitive team for next year’s FIBA Asia Championship, which will serve as the qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.  That should be good news.  It’s a good thing that the PBA is committed to supporting the national basketball program.

But what could have prompted the sudden creation of a selection committee?  Speculations have begun to spread that such a move was clamored by a good number of SBP board members, including the PBA, after Gilas’ dismal showing in the recent Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, with an all-time low seventh place finish for the country in this event.  And many have put the blame on Reyes for this debacle.

With the creation of the selection committee, a new chief bench tactician could be named soon as there is less than a year to prepare for the Asian championship slated in China in August next year.

Allow me to just state that the disappointing performance by Gilas in Incheon can be attributed to many factors, most of which are beyond the control of Reyes.  Most evident is the absence of some key players, especially naturalized power forward Andray Blatche and Jayson Castro.  Blatche, Gilas best player in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, was not allowed to play in the Asian Games due to the two-year residency rule.  The former Brooklyn Nets slotman got his naturalization granted only this year.  Castro sustained injuries that forced him out of the Asiad line-up.  Both players were key members of the Gilas squad that made history in the world championship with a win over Senegal after four decades.

In fairness to Reyes, his efforts as head coach helped immensely in bringing the Philippines back to the world map in basketball.  He has dedicated the last three years of his career to get the country to qualify in the FIBA World Cup, which last saw a Philippine team in 1978.  It was under Reyes that the Philippines finally scored a victory over Korea last year in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship after so many attempts.  It was under Reyes that Gilas won the silver in last year’s Asian championship and booked a ticket to the world cup in Spain this year.

These are accomplishments that are not by any means easy to obtain.  

But anyway, since our basketball leaders seemed more inclined to appointing a new captain of the ship, here are important criteria for selecting the new national coach. Do note that according to SBP's Sonny Barrios, Reyes could still be included in the shortlist.

1.    Dedication.  For me, the single most important criterion in selecting the new national coach is the candidate’s dedication to the job.  Being the man at the helm of leading the most popular national team in the country is no walk in the park.  The candidate must be willing to work full-time as the mission to qualify for the 2016 Olympics will be daunting.  Only one country from Asia will make it via the Asian championship.  If the committee should choose a current PBA coach, the candidate must take a leave of absence from his pro squad to concentrate on the national team.  Chot focused on Gilas for three years since 2012 and the country reaped the fruits of his labor in last year’s FIBA Asia Championship and this year’s FIBA World Cup.  Once on board, the national team becomes his life.

2.    Competency.  Of course, the new head coach must be a proven winner.  Credentials will definitely be a major consideration.  The candidate must not just have an indubitably extensive knowledge of the game but also the ability to motivate and draw the best from the players.  The candidate must have a clear winning track record in the highest level of competition.

3.    Experience.  The international game is a different animal.  You can argue about the popularity of basketball in the Philippines all you want but the game is played differently in the international arena.  This is why having international experience is another must for the next national coach.  They just play the game differently in other parts of the globe.  Europeans are very systematic.  They love to pass and dribble less.  Their post players can shoot from outside, even long-distance.  They play tough and physical defense.  They set multiple screens.  On the other hand, the Americans are amazingly talented in the game and very athletic.  Their skills in all aspects of the game are just too remarkable.  They are very quick and hard to guard one-on-one.  The East Asians are deadly shooters.  They shoot better than they make a lay-up.  The referees also call it differently in international competitions from the leagues here.  There are just so many things to get familiar with that one inexperienced coach in international competitions cannot fathom in less than one year.  Having coached against the best players and teams from around the world is certainly a huge edge.

4.    Respectability.  When you have some of the highest paid athletes in your team, you must be someone they can respect.  The coach is like a father to the players.  He must command respect in order for these athletes to follow his lead.  The candidate therefore must be of good moral character.

5.    Flexibility.  Many challenges await the national team.  The leader then must have the ability to adjust and adapt.  He cannot be stubborn and unyielding when the situation calls for a quick change.  He cannot just stick to the plan when things are not cooperating with it.  Case in point was the strict implementation of the two-year residency in the Asian Games that barred Blatche from donning the Philippine colors in the event.  Good thing Marcus Douthit was available and had joined Gilas in its preparations for the World Cup, the way Reyes planned it.  In international jousts, you can expect the unexpected.  The ability of the coach to react properly to these unexpected challenges can spell the difference between success and failure.

These are very important factors to consider in choosing the new national coach and it certainly won’t be easy.  There are very few that could fit the bill.  Perhaps Tim Cone, Norman Black, Jong Uichico and Reyes can be the prime candidates.  

But I think Talk N’ Text consultant Tab Baldwin is perfect for the job.

The Florida native has been all over the world coaching basketball and he is surely no stranger to FIBA competitions.  As head coach, he led New Zealand to a fourth place finish in the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, the highest by any Oceania team in history.  He also called the shots for the national teams of Lebanon, Jordan and Malaysia, and has handled professional squads in Turkey, Greece and Romania aside from being the winningest coach in New Zealand’s NBL.

Like former Gilas coach Rajko Toroman, Baldwin is respected in international competitions including the Olympic Games and FIBA World Cup.

This hoops-crazy nation is hoping that its basketball leaders will set aside politics and personal motives in choosing the next national coach.  

For once, let’s all join hands in forming the best team possible for the coming international tourneys.