Whe retired National Basketball Association legend Tyrone Curtis “Muggsy” Bogues watches the NBA 3×3 Philippine tournament on Sunday, he will be looking for the smallest player on the floor.
The 5’3” Bogues, who is seen as the most undersized cager to have successfully seen action in the league, while with the Charlotte Hornets, believes that this Filipino player may have the talent to bring make it to the NBA someday.
“I’m now watching out for the 5’2” guy who can play out here, with the understanding that he can be an NBA player. Because talent is global and universal,” he said.
Bogues, who saw action for different teams in the NBA from 1987 to 2001, is in the Philippines for the second time since 2013.
This time, Denver Nuggets cager Monte Morris will join Bogues in watching Pinoy basketball in action.
Bogues noted that 7’2” Kai Sotto is already among the local talents who has gone to the United States to improve on his game.
He believes that Sotto can possibly gain a chance to play for an NBA team, given his talent.
The 54-year-old Bogues was the NBA’s shortest player.
Bogues had memorable a appearance in the 1996 movie Space Jam, as one of five NBA players who starred as a cartoon character and voice over, alongside Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, and Patrick Ewing.
And now, knowing that Sotto is there, an undersized kid can’t be far behind.
“It’s the understanding that you have kids here who have taken that opportunity in pursuing the game. It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time,” added Bogues.
Action in the NBA 3×3 Philippines presented by AXA gets going this weekend at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall and the Philippine International Convention Center Forum tent.
The eight-year-old cagefest consists of divisions for boys under-13, under-16, under-18 and the open category.
There are also divisions for girls in the under 18 and open categories.
There is also an invitations-only Celebrity Division and an AXA employees’ and distributors’ division.
Bogues was selected 12th overall by the Washington Bullets in the 1987 NBA Draft and played for 14 seasons, 11 of them with the Charlotte Hornets.
Morris was drafted 51st overall in the 2017 NBA draft with averages of 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists when he played for the Denver Nuggets this year.
After Bogues retired from playing in 2001, he became the coach of the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA and the United Faith Christian Academy back in Charlotte, North Carolina.
