Manny Pacquiao has taken one more step towards achieving another dream-that of becoming a professional basketball player.
Already the head coach of the KIA Motors team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Pacquiao has made himself available in the 2014 PBA Rookie Draft that is set to take place next month. At 35 years of age, Pacquiao could set a record for being the oldest player drafted in the league. At five feet six inches, he could also be the smallest player in Asia's first professional basketball team.
Since he would have to go through the draft, it also means that there is a possibility that other teams would select him. But his team has already appealed to other teams not to do so. Via ABS-CBN.com, KIA Motors team manager Eric Pineda said: "I hope the other teams understand that Manny is already the coach of KIA, and hopefully, they would not pick him."
PBA Commissioner Chito Salud said the league welcomes Pacquiao's entry, making him arguably the biggest draw in the league which has been in existence since 1975. "We welcome the involvement of Cong. Manny Pacquiao with KIA as a coach when it was first announced, and again, we welcome the draft application of Cong. Manny Pacquiao for the 2014 Rookie Draft. He has previously committed that he will go through the normal regular procedure to play in the PBA, that he will observe all the rules ought to apply to rookies. We wish him luck."
Aside from being a pro boxer, Pacquiao is also the representative of Saranggani province in Congress.
This is not the first time that an athlete of Pacquiao's caliber will be drafted in another sport. Olympic runner Carl Lewis was drafted in the 10th round of the 1984 draft, the same year that Michael Jordan was drafted.
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