WHO’S to blame for prized big man Justine Baltazar’s failed stint with Samsung in the Korean Basketball League?
“Noong January po ako nag-sign ng contract sa Korea through agent Mark Dickel (former TNT active consultant and Gilas Pilipinas coach),” Baltazar, breaking his silence on the issue, said in a statement yesterday.
“Sinabi ko naman na may commitment ako sa Strong Group sa Dubai hanggang Feb. 5 at na-acknowledge naman nila pero pinayagan din ako ng Strong Group na umalis ng maaga,” he added.
Strong Group was taken to task for bringing Baltazar with the team in the 32nd Dubai International Championship despite knowing that he is committed to play in Korea. Ditto for Pilipinas Super League team Pampanga G Lanterns, who has Baltazar in their line-up.
Baltazar explained he was already committed to play for Strong Group a few days after he was released by Hiroshima of the Japan B. League last December. He asked the team’s management headed by Jacob Lao if he could leave for Korea on Jan. 31, which explains why he had a one-way ticket to Dubai.
Strong Group obliged his request.
The KBL’s disciplinary committee deemed Baltazar acted in “bad faith” that resulted in a two-year ban but Baltazar, 25, said he tried to obtain the documents for him to gain a working visa for Korea.
“After ko mag-sign ng contract inasikaso na namin ang visa. Matagal talaga ang proseso ng visa at sa Pampanga po ako nakatira,” Baltazar, who went through the same process when he obtained a Japanese visa to play for the Dragonflies, said.
“Hanggang sa araw na pag-alis namin (to Dubai) hindi kami naka-apply dahil balik-balik ang mga hingi ng visa requirements hanggang sa araw na umalis kami. Hindi rin daw makakuha ng appointment sa visa kasi nag-sarado iyong embassy noong Chinese New Year.”
A former La Salle standout and Gilas Pilipinas national team training pool member, Baltazar insisted he was confident he would still make it to Seoul.
But he was not informed about the KBL’s Feb. 2 deadline for player registration.
“Sa mga unang usapan po bago magpirmahan para sa Korea, wala naman sinabi sa amin na kailangan pumunta roon by Feb. 2. After na lang namin na laman iyon,” Baltazar said.
“Never ko rin po nakausap ang Samsung kahit isang beses. Si (Mark) Dickel lang ang nag-tetext sa amin.”
Baltazar vowed to take the lessons learned in his botched overseas try to heart.
“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa bumubuo ng Samsung Seoul Thunders. Alam ko po na na-agrabyado sila sa nangyari. Humihingi rin ako ng paumanhin sa KBL at sa kapwa nating Pinoy sa Korea,” he said. “Hindi po sa akin nasabi po ng malinaw ang mga dapat gawin para maayos ang papeles ko papunta doon.”
