Rain or Shine took advantage of having no height restrictions on imports for the upcoming Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup by going big with 6-foot-11 reinforcement Kenneth Kadji.
The Elasto Painters tapped the 36-year-old Cameroonian in hopes of continuing their impressive campaign in the league’s 49th season after reaching the semifinals of the Governors’ Cup.
Kadji has a thick resume playing pro hoops with the Rio Grande Vipers in the National Basketball Association (NBA) G-League and international stints Lithuania, Turkey, Greece, Israel, France, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon.
He led the Kadji Sports Academy, which he owns, to winning the local crown in his country. Kadji was also a member of the Cameroonian national team that participated in the 2015 and 2021 Afrobasket.
A mix of familiar names and new faces banner the batch of reinforcements raring to showcase their wares in the mid-season tournament firing off on 27 November.
TNT fresh from a second straight Governors’ Cup conquest is sticking with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and so does runner-up Barangay Ginebra with resident import Justin Brownlee.
George King, who made quite an impression in the previous conference is back once again for Blackwater, Magnolia brings back Ricardo Ratliffe while defending champion San Miguel Beer is playing with Quincy Miller, who is already onboard for the Beermen in the ongoing East Asia Super League (EASL).
Bennie Boatwright, who led San Miguel in winning last edition’s title in six games against Magnolia, is still recovering from a foot injury.
Meralco, on the other hand, introduced a new import in Akil Mitchell.
The 6-foot-9 American-Panamanian gave a glimpse of what he could offer on the table with a double-double of 33 points and 22 rebounds in an 81-80 win over Korea’s Busan KCC Egis in the EASL.
Converge got former NBA player Cheick Diallo, NorthPort signed former Great Britain national team member 6-foot-11 Kavell Bigby-Williams, Terrafirma added Ryan Richards while Phoenix decided to go with 6-foot-9 Donovan Smith.