Former PBA star Greg Slaughter returns to competitive basketball with Zamboanga Valientes

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star Greg Slaughter is making a highly anticipated return to competitive basketball after signing with the Zamboanga Valientes for the upcoming Dubai International Basketball Championship. The 37-year-old veteran, who has enjoyed a storied career in Philippine basketball, expressed his excitement at the opportunity to once again compete at a high level and reunite with familiar faces.

Slaughter will be joining a star-studded lineup that includes his former Gilas Pilipinas teammate Vic Manuel, PBA standout Terrence Romeo, Barkley Ebona, Nick Demusis, former NBA No. 1 draft pick Anthony Bennett, and college standout Forthsky Padrigao.

“It’s been fun, me personally. It’s been over a year since [I’ve been] in a team and again be with the guys and had a lot of camaraderie. Seeing the No. 1 NBA draft pick and playing with him, playing with a lot of locals, Zamboanga talents who are really good players,” Slaughter said during a media interaction.

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The veteran confirmed that he has been diligently training to rebuild his strength and stamina ahead of the tournament, which kicks off this weekend at the Rashid bin Hamdam Hall in Dubai.

🚨 BREAKING NEWS

Greg Slaughter has agreed to play for the Zamboanga Valientes in the upcoming Dubai Invitational Basketball Tournament, sources told Homer Sayson.

A formal signing and official team announcement are expected soon. pic.twitter.com/mcXqQXSNtL

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“Feeling a lot better, building on a lot of things, but you know, it’s different playing in a game compared to a practice or individual skills training. So we will see how that first game goes, get out there, see how it feels, and build up from that,” he added.

A notable highlight of Slaughter’s return is the chance to play alongside Terrence Romeo for the first time. While the two competed against each other in college and early PBA careers, this tournament marks their first time as teammates. Slaughter is also looking forward to reuniting with Vic Manuel, with whom he shared a long-standing partnership dating back to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“It’s actually my first time with Terrence. I played against him since college, but this will be actually the first time that we will be playing together. Vic, we have played together and he has been my partner since the 2019 SEA Games. We were always playing together. I have fun time playing with Vic,” Slaughter said.

Despite the excitement surrounding his Dubai stint, Slaughter remains non-committal about a possible return to the PBA. His signing rights are still held by Titan Ultra following the company’s purchase of the NorthPort franchise. The veteran revealed that while Titan Ultra management reached out during the ongoing Philippine Cup, he has not received further communication since.

“I haven’t heard anything. I don’t know. Hopefully, it works. I hope so,” Slaughter concluded.

For fans, Slaughter’s return represents not just the comeback of a celebrated PBA veteran, but also an opportunity to see him compete against top-level international competition while mentoring younger talent. As the Dubai International Basketball Championship approaches, all eyes will be on Slaughter to see if he can recapture his prime form and once again make an impact on the court.

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