Millora-Brown to SBP: No deal

An apparent pay cut and an “ethically and morally” hard-to-accept provision served as a deal-breaker in the participation of young big man Quentin Millora-Brown in Gilas Pilipinas’ 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers second window campaign.

Millora-Brown’s camp released a statement on social media, airing its side of the personnel row that plagued the national team with just weeks before the crucial matches against New Zealand and Australia on 26 February and 1 March, respectively.

The former University of the Philippines center bared that he’s very much interested in donning the tricolor once again after making his debut in the first window.

However, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) offered a much lower contract than the first deal Millora-Brown got when he saw action in back-to-back wins over Guam.

“SBP offered him a contract that consisted of a pay cut from the last contract he signed,” the statement said.

Millora-Brown’s agency also contradicted the earlier statement of Gilas head coach Tim Cone that the 6-foot-10 player “just chose not to come.”

“This statement is meant to clarify that this was not a situation where our client decided not to show up, but rather SBP’s refusal to negotiate terms that would allow (Millora Brown) to participate (in the games),” the statement added.