BY JONAS TERRADO
The PBA will announce on Tuesday sanctions that will be handed to Tab Baldwin for “detrimental comments” made in a video podcast last week.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial didn’t give any hint on the penalties against Baldwin, who came under fire for remarks on local coaching and the league’s import policy during the “Coaches Unfiltered” podcast.
An apologetic Baldwin met with Marcial, deputy commissioner Eric Castro and legal counsel Melvin Mendoza via Zoom conference to clear the air on the comments that sparked backlash among members of the local basketball community.
“I feel bad that has happened and that is not my intention,” Baldwin said, as quoted by the PBA’s official website, adding that his statements were “taken out of context.”
Baldwin also said that he will respect whatever the league decides on the matter. The Gilas Pilipinas program director and Ateneo coach is officially designated as an assistant of TNT KaTropa.
“Nag-apologize siya at sinabi niya na (it was) taken out of context, at sinabi ko na ito ang tamang venue para gawin mo ito,” said Marcial after convening with members of the PBA technical committee Monday evening. “Tas sabi ko ikaw may trabaho ka at may trabaho akong dapat gawin so sana marespeto mo yung desisyon ko.”
Baldwin drew the ire of several PBA officials and coaches and the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines for describing local mentors as “tactically immature.”
He also said that having just one import during the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup is a “big mistake” and that “all of the rules latitude that the imports are given here by the (PBA) referees.”
