If you’re a big NBA basketball fan, Philippines is the place to be in the next four months!
Just a week after 4-time league MVP LeBron James invaded Manila, two all-stars added hysteria to hoops fan boys and gals of all ages.
Houston Rocket’s James Harden and New Orleans Pelicans’ Eric Gordon hype up the NBA 3X Philippines presented by Sprite which kicks off at the SM MOA Music Hall this weekend. The duo were presented to the media along with the Indiana Pacers Pacemates and Memphis Grizzlies mascot Grizz yesterday in a press conference held in Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.
This is Harden’s second tour of duty in the country while it’s the first for Gordon. Both have expressed amazement for the love of basketball Filipino have.
“The fan base is amazing over here in the Philippines. I’m excited to be back,” said Harden who wears jersey no. 13 as a shooting guard for the Rockets who stormed back to the NBA playoffs last season after acquiring the bearded one.
Harden will be back in Manila in October with the whole Houston squad, for their NBA Global Games Philippines pre-season game against the Pacers.
Gordon, a gold medalist in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, is excited to have a positive experience when he meets the fans, especially the young players who will be participating in the NBA 3X event. The 2009 All-Rookie Second Team selection who was once known as “Mr. Basketball” of Indiana while playing for North Central High School gave a message to the fans of their young team, the Pelicans.
“It’s gonna be very exciting to play with guys who can do things similar to what I can do. I hope it opens up things for us and makes us a better team this year,” said Gordon. “When you get a chance to play with good guys like them it changes things. Hopefully we can make the Playoffs.”
The event tips off today, 3 p.m., at Center Court of the SM MOA. Harden and Gordon will help run clinics and interact with fans. At least 600 players of all ages are set to fight for top honors in the NBA 3X Philippines 2013. Winners from each division will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win four tickets to the NBA Global Games on October 10 between Houston and Indiana at the MOA Arena. Another exciting prize for the boys U18 division is the chance to be part of the adidas Derrick Rose Tour, another big basketball event, scheduled in September.
Die-hard Pinoy basketball fans might have gone nuts with already with their idols coming to Manila one by one, and Kobe Bryant (scheduled in August 2013) and His Airness, Michael Jordan (anytime this year) have yet to come.
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