Macau Black Bears express interest in joining PBA
Fresh from an exhilarating send-off game last Monday where they pushed Gilas to their limits, the Macau Black Bears are now poised to knock on the door of the PBA, seeking entry as a guest team in one or two conferences for the upcoming season.
Lukas Peng, the Black Bears’ president of basketball operations, has formally reached out to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, expressing the team’s earnest desire to compete and their commitment to crafting a “highly competitive and professionally managed team that will represent Macau and its vibrant Filipino community with pride, while simultaneously enhancing the PBA’s visibility and engagement across Greater China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.”
Marcial expressed enthusiasm about Macau’s potential involvement and indicated that discussions will soon commence to explore the details of the partnership. During the send-off game, Marcial had the opportunity to connect with Black Bears’ general manager Kevin Connelly, who oversees team operations, player recruitment, and strategic planning. Notably, Connelly’s brother, Tim, serves as president of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
In light of Macau’s restricted basketball talent pool, Peng has formally requested PBA clearance to recruit players from China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan as locals under the Greater China Rule. He also inquired whether players of documented Chinese heritage could be classified as locals, referencing the precedents set by Hayden Blankley, Glen Yang, and Kobey Lam with the Bay Area Dragons. Furthermore, Peng asked if the Black Bears could include Filipino and EASL-registered players as locals.
According to PBA regulations, a team is permitted to enlist only one “world” or non-Asian import during the Commissioner’s and Governors’ Cups, where Macau hopes to participate in either or both. Marcial mentioned that while Macau showed interest in competing in the Philippine Cup, this option has unfortunately been ruled out.
In the match against Gilas, Macau fielded a diverse roster that included five Americans, a Nigerian, a Senegalese, a Filipino, a Fil-Am, and a Macau-American. However, in the PBA, this lineup must be adjusted to feature only one non-Asian import. Notably, the Black Bears’ standout point guard, 5-8 Damian Chongqui, who did not participate in the send-off game, will be eligible to join the PBA roster as a local player if the opportunity arises. At just 26, Chongqui has already made history as the first player to achieve a triple-double in EASL. Additionally, Laguna-born Brent graduate Jenning Leung and Macau-American Phoenix Shackelford, both regarded as local players, showcased their talents during the Gilas exhibition.
