PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Vietnam currently leads the overall medal tally in the ongoing Southeast Asian Games and takes pride in fielding homegrown athletes.

In basketball, Vietnam did not follow the practice of most countries and stuck to local players.

The only concession was the hiring of American coach Todd Purves along with several members of his coaching staff.

A well-traveled bench tactician, Purves served as a consultant of San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Basketball Association for two seasons.

"I can remember Game 7 of the championship series against Tim Cone's team, San Mig Coffee and the atmosphere was really electric," Purves said.

He is no stranger to seeing naturalized players and even imports playing in different leagues.

As a coach in the Asean Basketball League in 2012, he helped the Indonesia Warriors win the championship against the Beermen, then the club team representing the Philippines in the ABL.

That served as Purves' ticket to coaching in the PBA for the Beermen and his eventual appointment as coach of the Vietnamese national team.

In basketball, Vietnam did not follow the practice of most countries and stuck to local players.

Purves explained why Vietnam is shunning naturalized players.