When the country's enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) ends, PBA free agent Noy Baclao is set to reunite with college coach Norman Black after Meralco acquired the services of the veteran forward from Bacolod City.
The former top rookie overall pick is still recovering from surgery on a ruptured right patellar tendon he suffered on opening day of last year’s PBA Governors Cup, and has been temporarily put on the reserve list of the Bolts.
Baclao’s contract with Alaska is already expired and apparently, the two sides failed to agree on a new deal.
Alaska team manager and board of governor Richard Bachmann did confirm the parting of ways between the two parties following a four-year partnership that saw Baclao playing a significant role in the second unit of the Aces in four Finals appearances.
"His contract expired and opted not to renew," said Bachmann in a short text message to Spin.ph.
A person privy to the Bolts’ acquisition of Baclao, however, confirmed that the player has been cleared as an unrestricted free agent, leading him to negotiate with Meralco.
The source however, would rather not tackle the circumstances that prompted Baclao to leave the Aces.
The 6-foot-4 forward became the top overall pick in 2008 and was chosen ahead of that time the higher-touted Rabeh Al-Hussaini who called the move to pick him no. 2 as "an insult."
But nearly a decade since, Baclao has nonetheless enjoyed a solid PBA career.
"The way my career has been going, I'm sure there are ups and downs," said the 32-year old player from Bacolod.
"I think I'll just keep moving forward and just keep doing whatever that needs to be done."
Baclao’s PBA career is far from perfect after he bounced around six teams in his first six years in the league but found a home as a defensive role player with Alaska in 2015.
He did, however, become a champion in 2011 with San Miguel in the Governors’ Cup.
The former top rookie overall pick is still recovering from surgery on a ruptured right patellar tendon he suffered on opening day of last year’s PBA Governors Cup, and has been temporarily put on the reserve list of the Bolts.
Baclao’s contract with Alaska is already expired and apparently, the two sides failed to agree on a new deal.
Alaska team manager and board of governor Richard Bachmann did confirm the parting of ways between the two parties following a four-year partnership that saw Baclao playing a significant role in the second unit of the Aces in four Finals appearances.
"His contract expired and opted not to renew," said Bachmann in a short text message to Spin.ph.
A person privy to the Bolts’ acquisition of Baclao, however, confirmed that the player has been cleared as an unrestricted free agent, leading him to negotiate with Meralco.
The source however, would rather not tackle the circumstances that prompted Baclao to leave the Aces.
The 6-foot-4 forward became the top overall pick in 2008 and was chosen ahead of that time the higher-touted Rabeh Al-Hussaini who called the move to pick him no. 2 as "an insult."
But nearly a decade since, Baclao has nonetheless enjoyed a solid PBA career.
"The way my career has been going, I'm sure there are ups and downs," said the 32-year old player from Bacolod.
"I think I'll just keep moving forward and just keep doing whatever that needs to be done."
Baclao’s PBA career is far from perfect after he bounced around six teams in his first six years in the league but found a home as a defensive role player with Alaska in 2015.
He did, however, become a champion in 2011 with San Miguel in the Governors’ Cup.
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