Smart Gilas Abandoned by players

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The Smart Gilas project had been around for years. We have been witness to their ups and down and this coming month they will be tested once again as they play the most important tournament in what could be the last tournament of most of the players of the Smart Gilas team.

On Sept. 15 to 25 the Fiba Asia Championship in Wuhan, China will be held and the winner will get the lone entry to the 2012 London Olympics. This will be a tall order considering that there a lot more better team in Asia right now. 

The Smart Gilas players may have already conceded as most of them plan ahead their future out of the national team and entered into professional league. Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros,Mark Barroca and JV Casio entered to the PBA draft as they choose to opt out playing for the flag and focus more on the money. After the FIBA Asia Championship the contract of these players will end who knows what will happen next. Just too bad that only few want to dedicatedly commit themselves to the National Team. For me its not about the dream because after their stint in the National Squad they can always certainly turn pro, Its not going to be the same because if most of these players turn pro then their commitment and priorities will change thus it will affect the training, time, chemistry, development of the team.  Its all about the money.