Detroiter in Philippine Basketball
Imports in Philippine basketball are nothing new. I used to watch Billy Ray Bates play for Ginebra (yes, I was a Ginebra fan years ago). These days, its Kelly Williams, from Detroit, Michigan, who’s making news.
Crowds flock to see his highlight-reel dunks and soaring rebounds. He even has a No. 1 fan — a wild-eyed elderly woman who sits behind the basket at his games, screeching support and waving a green banner with Williams’ name and jersey number embroidered on it.
“When I walk into a mall, everybody stares and people say my name,” Williams said. “It’s kind of weird.”
Williams, 24, is a star, but this idol is a long way from Michigan.
He lives in Manila and plays for the Santa Lucia Realtors in the Philippine Basketball Association. In his apartment, the sole memento of his Detroit roots is a black Tigers cap hanging from the corner of a bookshelf.
There’s nothing like the excitement of Philippine basketball. It’s not about the height of the Filipino players, but the heart they bring to the game. Filipinos are obsessed about basketball. Williams is in for a great time: He’s a super star in the Philippines.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Tags: Philippine basketball, Kelly Williams
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POSTED IN: People, Philippine Sports
January 5th, 2007 at 11:32 am
“There’s nothing like the excitement of Philippine basketball. It’s not about the height of the Filipino players, but the heart they bring to the game. Filipinos are obsessed about basketball. Williams is in for a great time: He’s a super star in the Philippines.”
I for one was obsessed with the game during my “younger” years in Manila. Winning streetball games was how we used to earn our “merienda” going around the Sampaloc district and the outdoor BB courts on the campus of UST.
January 5th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Hi Noypetes,
Watching basketball was a treat that wasn’t to be missed. Filipino fans pour all their passion into it, and it makes for a truly exciting sport for spectators.