Filipino aims to play in NBA

Wed, 05 Nov 1997 | Source: AFP

MANILA (AFP): Filipino point guard Johnny Abarrientos hopes to become the first Asian to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after impressing a scout for the Charlotte Hornets, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Abarrientos, 1.70m tall, met with Joe Betancourt, foreign consultant and scout of the Charlotte Hornets, last week who said he was "impressed" with the tiny point guard.

Betancourt was also responsible for the discovery of North Korea's Ri Myong-hun, a 27-year-old who stands 2.32 meters tall and calls himself Michael, after his NBA hero Michael Jordan. He is also being touted as an NBA possibility.

At least two Chinese players are also considered to have NBA potential.

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