Gilas players thankful to Marcus Douthit for Philippines' basketball success

With his contract set to expire this September, naturalized center Marcus Douthit will no longer see action under the Gilas Pilipinas uniform.

 

After news of his exit from the national team broke on Thursday, his teammates in the second incarnation of the Gilas program paid tribute to the 35-year-old big man, who is fondly called "Kuya Marcus" by fans.

 

Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro, and Jimmy Alapag saluted Douthit's efforts for the country and expressed their appreciation for his huge help in elevating Philippine basketball in the international stage.

 

"Dahil sa kaniya nakabalik tayo sa World Cup. Kasi siya naman talaga yung nauna diyan na willing talaga mag-naturalize," de Ocampo said. "Kahit hindi pa tayo nananalo, nandiyan na siya."

 

Douthit led Gilas Pilipinas to a silver-medal finish in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, putting the country back in the basketball map with a ticket to the FIBA World Cup in Spain.

 

He was unable to play for the team in Seville last year, as his spot was given to fellow naturalized player Andray Blatche, but he came ready to play when the former Brooklyn Nets big man was deemed ineligible in the Asian Games.

 

"Hindi siya 'yung selfish guy e, more on a team player siya kaya siguro nakapagperform ako ng maganda sa FIBA Asia dahil din sa kanya," Castro said about Douthit.

 

The Talk 'N Text guard credited Douthit's leadership as the reason why he earned the distinction as the "best point guard in Asia," saying that the former Washington Wizards player encouraged him during their silver medal run in 2013.

 

De Ocampo, meanwhile, praised how Douthit embraced the Filipino identity and his role as the "big brother" of the team.

 

"Pilipinong-Pilipino na 'yung puso niya e. Kung paano siya magpatawa, kung paano siya kumilos, 'yung attitude niya, paano siya magbiro, Pinoy na Pinoy na siya," he said.

 

Alapag, the former team captain of Gilas, also thanked him for his part in improving the national team program.

 

"It's no secret what Marcus did for the program. It won't really be where it is without his contributions," he said. "He'll be missed but hopefully we'll be seeing him around." —JST, GMA News