Former NBA player kicked out of Filipino league for insulting Manny Pacquiao: Was the decision fair?
You don鈥檛 mess with Manny Pacquiao.
That appears to be the message that the Philippine Basketball Association was sending when it sanctioned former NBA player Daniel Orton after he criticized the celebrated Filipino boxer鈥檚 skills on the court.
鈥淧rofessional boxer, okay. Congressman, all right. Professional basketball player? No. It鈥檚 a joke. Seriously, it鈥檚 a joke,鈥� Mr. Orton said last week, .
At the time, Orton鈥檚 team, the Purefoods Star Hotshots, had just lost to the Kia [Motors] Carnival, where Mr. Pacquiao, a third-term congressman in the Philippines, has been both player and head coach since the season began in August.
Purefoods Star top official Rene Pardo did not hesitate to cut Orton loose.
鈥淲e have no intention of letting him play, everyone is angry,鈥� Mr. Pardo, speaking in Tagalog, told Philippine reporters. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like he went to the US and insulted the name of Martin Luther King.鈥�
Indeed, few athletes are as revered in their home countries as Pacquiao is in the Philippines.
His story 鈥� that of a man who clawed his way from obscurity and poverty to world renown as a champion boxer 鈥� is one that resonates with millions of underprivileged Filipinos who dream of success.
As in 2010:
In the Philippines he's an obsession 鈥� everybody watches every fight. When he's in the ring, the insurgents call a ceasefire in their running battle with the Philippine army. They're not risking anything, as the soldiers are watching too.
A reputation as a man of faith in a country that is only serves to bolster his image. His decision to involve himself in three other industries that Filipinos hold dear 鈥� music, film, and basketball 鈥� didn鈥檛 hurt him much, either, despite what may be his disputable ability to hit high notes, cry on cue, or dunk balls. (During the game in question, the scored exactly 1 point.)
In 2010, when he ran for a seat in the Philippine Congress to represent his home province, 鈥淸h]e dominated the voting like he dominates most opponents,鈥� .
Pacquiao also recently made headlines after his long-awaited fight with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was finally scheduled for May 2. 聽
Does all 鈥� or any 鈥� of that mean the PBA鈥檚 decision against Orton was fair? Some think not.
鈥淲ho would want to play in a place where criticism of an opponent would be met with such a response?鈥� , hoops writer for Uproxx.com.
Orton, a former big man for the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers, also reportedly accused PBA officials of making biased calls during the Purefoods-Kia game.
鈥淭he way the game was going, the refs, they made it into a mockery, seriously,鈥� Philippine news outlet . 鈥淭hey took the game that I know and love and made it into a mockery.鈥�
In addition to Orton's team cutting him loose, the league also slapped him with a $5,600 fine for 鈥渋ssuing comments that are disparaging, disrespectful of and offensive to his host league, the game officials, and a fellow player and head coach of a member-team,鈥� PBA commissioner Chito Salud said.
鈥淭his insulting behavior will never be condoned by this league,鈥� Mr. Salud added.
Orton has since issued an apology on Twitter.
