The 6-foot-11 former NBA prospect Giles and ex-PBA import Nate Johnson will beef up Lebanon club team Al Riyadi in the tough 21st Dubai International basketball tournament that will also feature Smart Gilas next month.
It will be the first serious international stint for the RP team handled by Serbian coach Rajko Toroman, who is tasked by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to bring the country back to the Olympics in 2012.
Aside from Al Riyadi, the best club teams from Jordan, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Egypt are seeing action in the tournament scheduled Jan. 14 to 23.
They are Jordan’s Zain and ASU Sports Club, Al Jalaa Aleppo and Al Ittihad Aleppo from Syria, Al Ittihad Alexandria (Egypt) and United Arab Emirates national team.
According to online reports, Giles has inked a multimillion deal with Al Riyadi, the top team in Lebanon with 19 championships in the professional ranks.
“Giles is looking for some payback after being dropped from the RP national developmental team for his erring behavior,” the website riyadifans.com announced.
Giles, who played college ball for Oregon State and Kansas, joins a team that features local hero Fadi El Khatib, Ali Mahmoud, Jean Abdel-Nour, Joe Vogel and Johnson.
A former San Miguel Beer import, Johnson led the Beermen to the 2001 Commissioners Cup finals where they lost to Red Bull headed by former Duke University standout Tony Lang in six games.
Jamal Sampson, Giles’ replacement, had an unimpressive debut for Gilas in the PBA but Toroman said the NBA journeyman has yet to regain his old form.
“He has never played actively for 10 months,” said Toroman. “CJ is more athletic, but Sampson is a better defender.”
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