Is Converge Tapping Dwight Howard As Their Commissioner's Cup Import?

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has already made it clear that they will be sticking to its usual one-import setup for the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup. Commissioner Willie Marcial also clarified that all ball clubs can tap an import with unlimited height.

"Import [setup] natin for the second conference, Commissioner’s Cup, isa lang. Unlimited height," he said in an impromptu presser minutes before Game 5 of the San Miguel-Converge quarterfinal series at the Ynares Center last 5 October 2024.

As soon as the annoncement was made, there were already rumors floating that former NBA player Dwight Howard may see action as the import of Converge FiberXers.

Howard is no stranger to Converge's officials as he was last seen with Jacob Lao's Strong Group ballclub that fielded a team led by the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk champion and eight-time All-Star in a Dubai tournament. Lao also happens to be the team manager of Converge FiberXers in the pro league.

When asked by Spin.ph if Howard will soon don their purple and white jersey even before the PBA's decision on unlimited height, Lao reacted with a hearty laugh.

"We’ll see," said Lao, son of billionaire businessman Frank Lao, the top financial backer of the Strong Group team and College of St. Benilde in the NCAA.

"But if the PBA will allow us to bring in a 6’10” import, why not?" added the former Ateneo Blue Eagles guard.

Lao bared that another issue that they may face in the PBA, assuming they decide to bring in Howard is the salary cap for PBA imports, which the league set at US$ 20,000 a month.

"Yun pa ho ang isa. Pero madali naman naming magawan ng paraan yang salary kasi we can offer other packages for Dwight," he said.

Lao stressed that they will seriously consider bringing in Howard - who played as an import for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan's T1 League last season - as Converge’s import in the future if there's a way.

"We are seriously considering that. Why? Kasi yung 6’10 height ni Dwight is measured with shoes. PBA is measuring players without shoes. So we’ll see," he added while revealing that PBA coaches Luigi Trillo and Jeff Cariaso already called him to ask about the possibility.