Misleading? Are you pulling my leg---> Philippine team sacks US import for Pacquiao insult
Manila (AFP) - Philippine basketball authorities have sacked and fined an American import for ridiculing national boxing hero Manny Pacquiao's quest to become a professional basketballer.
Former NBA player Daniel Orton hit the headlines last week after playing against Pacquiao in the local pro-league, a game in which the 1.69-metre (5 foot-6 inch) boxing champion scored a solitary point.
"Professional boxer, yeah, okay... professional basketball player, no. It's a joke," said Orton, 24, who signed with the Purefoods Hotshots team just this month.
Manila (AFP) - Philippine basketball authorities have sacked and fined an American import for ridiculing national boxing hero Manny Pacquiao's quest to become a professional basketballer.
Former NBA player Daniel Orton hit the headlines last week after playing against Pacquiao in the local pro-league, a game in which the 1.69-metre (5 foot-6 inch) boxing champion scored a solitary point.
"Professional boxer, yeah, okay... professional basketball player, no. It's a joke," said Orton, 24, who signed with the Purefoods Hotshots team just this month.
MANILA, Philippines — Purefoods import Daniel Orton called Kia playing-coach Manny Pacquiao “a joke” shortly after the Hotshots’ 95-84 loss to the Carnival Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Orton played his worst game in the PBA finishing with only six points and three rebounds in 19 minutes as he was saddled by foul trouble. Orton, the former first round pick by the Orlando Magic in the NBA, fouled out with 1:31 left.
“This game is seriously a joke. The way the game was going, the refs took the game that I know and love and they made it into a mockery,” an upset Orton said.
When asked what it was like to see the boxing champion play basketball, Orton answered: “That’s the joke. That’s part of the joke I was talking about. Professional boxer, yeah, okay. Congressman, alright. Professional basketball player, no. It’s a joke. Seriously, it’s a joke.”
Pacquiao played in his third game and scored his first-ever point that went with an assist in four minutes and 39 seconds of action.
Purefoods have gone 1-2 during Orton’s stay after their perfect 3-0 start with stand-in import Marqus Blakely.
Purefoods Star Hotshots lost to Pacquiao’s Kia Carnival 84-95 and adding insult to the loss, Orton fouled out of the game with only six points and three rebounds in 19 minutes of play.
Purefoods Star Hotshots import Daniel Orton, who went on a tirade against PBA referees and KIA playing-coach Manny Pacquiao, will now pay up the PBA a fee of P250,000 as ordered by league Commissioner Chito Salud.
In a statement issued on Friday, Salud said that Orton “issued comments that are disparaging, disrespectful of and offensive to his host league.”
“This insulting behavior will never be condoned by this league,” Salud said in the statement.
The Commissioner’s office added that whatever the actions that Purefoods would take upon Orton, it “disapproves of and frowns upon the cavalier manner in which Mr. Orton issued his comments and unwarranted antics and liberties he has taken with the league and a fellow player.”
His Team record with Orton playing them 1 win 2 losses one of which is with the expansion Team KIA where Pac is a Playing Coach.
Orton was not sent home by the PBA only fined, it was the team who he's playing with that send him home. He will be send home anyways whether he said that "joke" or not.