After nearly two weeks of negotiations, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has finally come to terms with American import Jamal Sampson to be the naturalized player-candidate of the Smart-Gilas Pilipinas national team.
The signing between the SBP and the 6-foot-11 Sampson was announced Sunday by SBP executive director Noli Eala.
Sampson will replace the ineffective CJ Giles, who was dropped from the team for his attitude problem.
The former PBA commissioner, however, refused to divulge the details and conditions of the contract except that Sampson will be given a one-year deal.
But a source, who has knowledge with the negotiations, said that Sampson will receive a monthly compensation similar to the one Giles received.
Giles was given a monthly pay of $15,000.
Nevertheless, the signing of Sampson brought excitement to the SBP, which is supporting the training and preparation of Gilas to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championship, the qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.
The 26-year-old Sampson will suite up for Gilas for the first time in the Nationals’ PBA stint when they face Barako Bull on Friday.
A former University of California-Berkley stalwart, Sampson was originally picked in the first round (47th overall) by the Utah Jazz during the 2002 NBA Rookie Draft.
Sampson also had stints with the Orlando Magic, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets, the last team he played for in the NBA in 2007.
“His maturity, size and skills are what we need in our quest,” Pangilinan said.
Meanwhile, defending champion Talk ’N Text relied on the late-game heroics of veteran bigman Ali Peek to down the Coca-Cola Tigers, 107-104, in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Saturday night at the Lagao Gym in General Santos city.
Ali Peek converted two free throws and made a key defensive stop in the last 30.7 seconds of the game presented by Phoenix Fuel to power TNT to victory.
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