MR. BASKETBALL: Collaborative approach keys Barrios’ success

For Reunald “Sonny” Barrios, leading Philippine basketball — the country’s national pastime — takes more than skills and expertise.

It requires hard work, teamwork and a collaborative approach.

One of the most loved and respected sportsmen, the 76-year-old Barrios preached the gospel of collaboration and inclusivity during his term as executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), turning Gilas Pilipinas from an international minnow into a powerhouse and world-class squad.

But it didn’t come easy.

In fact, Barrios witnessed the time when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was cold on lending its players to the national federation, which was then known as the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP).

The Basketball Cold War was so intense that despite the United States fielding Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the rest of the Dream Team in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, the PBA remained firm on its decision not to release its players to the BAP.

“When Team USA announced the participation of NBA (National Basketball Association) players for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, there was a strong clamor for the Philippines to fill our national team with PBA players,” Barrios said.

“But PBA commissioner Rudy Salud was very much against it.”

“But lo and behold, to Rudy Salud’s unpleasant surprise, the general public and the sports media strongly criticized the PBA for being selfish and insensitive to the clamor of the country.”

“He said: This is democracy at work. Even if we are right than those outside of the room, they are still right. Why? Vox Populi, Vox Dei (The voice of the people is the voice of God).”

But Salud eventually listened to the majority.

After all, two years before, he issued the green light to the formation of an all-professional national squad bannered by Alvin Patrimonio, Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Chito Loyzaga and Benjie Paras with Sonny Jaworksi as head coach.

The squad made a strong run before settling for the silver medal behind powerhouse China in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

The finish used to be the best ever by any Philippine Team before Gilas Pilipinas broke the curse last year with a masterful connquest of Jordan in the gold medal game of the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Barrios said it is really crucial to listen to what other people are saying.

For instance, when he was still the deputy commissioner of the PBA, they changed the dynamics of summoning the players by giving a stronger voice to air their sides.

“There was a time, Commissioner Jun Bernardino and I changed and cut short the usual protocol of summoning the erring player first before you decide and impose any penalty,” he narrated.

“What we did, we set three conditions: If the referee made the call in the game, if the commissioner himself saw the violation in the game, and the videotape supports that indeed there was a violation, no need to summon the player.”

“When ex-commissioner Rudy Salud learned that we did that, he went to the office and told us: You never shortcut due process, Sonny. Never.”

“Even if let’s say two people saw me shoot you I wouldn’t be sent to jail right away.”

“He emphasized that the vast powers of the commissioner both as prosecutor and judge must be exercised with prudence and a lot of care.”

Aside from listening to others, especially the players and other stakeholders, Barrios also displayed his collaborative approach by improving his relationship with the media.

Barrios said sportswriters and sports editors should not be treated as “mere storytellers” as they are also their partners in improving the league and bringing it closer to the public.

“When I joined in 1984, one of the first things emphasized to me by Rudy Salud was to look at sports media as our partners in promoting the PBA and he said: You are not just coverers of the game or mere storytellers of what’s happening in the league,” Barrios said.

“You are honest-to-goodness partners of the PBA in showcasing the PBA games to the public.”

With Barrios’ warm and friendly demeanor topped with his long years in basketball, it didn’t come as a surprise that he had a lengthy and very fruitful term at the SBP that was highlighted by the country’s very successful hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup — the biggest basketball tournament in the world outside the Summer Olympics.

But good eventually came to an end.

Barrios stepped down this year, paving the way for the assumption of another dynamic, yet younger, leader in Erika Dy to take over in running the day to day affairs of the country’s national basketball federation.

Barrios walked away with a smile in his heart.

He had done his part and served basketball to the best of his ability with a lot of partners helping him out. It was such a successful stint for Mr. Basketball. Mission accomplished.