Metro Manila, Philippines – The chance to see brothers Dylan and Ron Harper Jr. suit up as locals for Gilas Pilipinas is not happening, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
The SBP said the second generation cagers unfortunately failed to secure their Philippine passports before they turned 18.
FIBA has set the rule that players who have secured a passport before turning 18, an increase from the previous cutoff age of 16, will be considered a local for their national teams.
“To begin with, I don’t believe Dylan has a passport already. Although they’ve reached out, I think two years ago when coach Norman (Black) and I were in Las Vegas asking about eligibility,” SBP executive director Erika Dy said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum earlier this week.
“But he was already 18 at that time or 19 and they don’t have the passports. Definitely they won’t be eligible as a local if they play for Gilas,” she added.
Dylan, 20, was the second overall pick by San Antonio in last year’s NBA Draft and was a key figure for the Spurs that finished runner-up behind the New York Knicks in the finals last June.
Ron Jr., meanwhile, is currently with the Boston Celtics.
Their mother, Maria Pizarro, hails from Bataan and once served as the head coach of DePaul Catholic High School in New Jersey, USA.
Their father, Ron Sr., played 15 years in the NBA and won five titles with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.
