Sports Talk

A beginner's guide to Philippine basketball for outsiders

Many friends abroad ask why Filipinos are so crazy for basketball when we are not a tall country. So here is a simple guide.

The PBA is the oldest professional league in Asia, started in 1975. Teams are owned by companies, so the team names change when sponsors change, which confuses everyone, including us sometimes.

Season has several 'conferences' instead of one long season. Some conferences allow foreign 'imports', usually one big player.

The college leagues, UAAP and NCAA, are also very big here. Sometimes more people care about the university rivalry than the pros.

And yes, there is a basketball court in almost every barangay. You will see games under the rain, on dirt, with a hoop made from a bicycle wheel. That is the real Philippine basketball.