Norwood explains ‘FIBA Gabe’ mode

Gabe Norwood is a low-key star in the PBA - the veteran swingman is neither flashy nor dominant, but he is a key role player for the league's most recent champion Rain or Shine.

The 6-foot-5 Filipino-American usually prefers to defer to his electrifying teammates Paul Lee and Jeff Chan, but his energy and intensity changes when he wears the Gilas Pilipinas uniform.

Not a few fans have observed that Norwood seems to be playing better overall whenever he plays for the flag, and some even called it the "FIBA Gabe" mode.

"It makes me laugh a little bit, but if you have the flag in your chest, you should be playing better, right? I think that should be nationally uplifting," he said.

Norwood's finest moment as a national team member came arguably in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, where he posterized NBA player Luis Scola in the Philippines' match against Argentina.

He said, however, that he just plays like usual, albeit he plays longer minutes and slides into different roles for the national team unlike with his mother ball club.

"At the same time, I feel I'm doing the same thing, to be honest," Norwood said. "Here at Gilas, I play 75 percent of the game. With Rain or Shine, I’m lucky enough I don’t have to do that."

He added that playing for a country as basketball-crazy as the Philippines is already plenty of motivation to bring out his A-game, especially with an Olympic berth at stake.

"I'm excited for it and I enjoy playing internationally. This is the best place in the world, so I'm happy I can get up and play," he said.

"If you have the flag in your chest , definitely you have to take pride and play hard as you can," he added. —ALG, GMA News