Zamboanga Valientes snag Greg Slaughter from Titan Ultra for Melbourne tournament

The towering 7-foot former Barangay Ginebra slotman, whose PBA future remains in limbo, is set to make waves in Australia as he dons the Zamboanga Valientes jersey for the upcoming Asia Pacific Basketball Tournament in Melbourne.

Slaughter, along with his Valientes teammates, took off for Melbourne on Tuesday morning ahead of the three-day pocket tournament, slated to tip off on April 3 at Waverley Basketball Stadium.

The Valientes are representing the Philippines in the Premiere Division, joining a 12-team field that includes high-level competition from NBL-Australia squads such as the BSBL  Guardians (Brisbane), BTO MBL All Stars, and Black Rhinos. Meanwhile, Division 1 sees another Philippine squad, We Are CSAS Pilipinas, competing in their own bracket.

The move comes amid speculation about Slaughter’s PBA prospects. Insider reached out to Slaughter for comment, but the former Ginebra big man remained tight-lipped on both his potential PBA return and his stint with the Valientes.

Titan Ultra officials believe they’ve been ‘ghosted’ by the free-agent center at the height of negotiations for a contract #PBA50

READ: https://t.co/lrukKOkQcr pic.twitter.com/FKE7xwyoeJ

— SPIN.ph (@spinph) April 1, 2026

Valientes owner Junnie Navarro clarified that signing Slaughter, who is technically a free agent, was a straightforward decision following their Dubai tournament.

“I called him if he already has a contract in the PBA or somewhere else, sabi n’ya wala. So good, we signed him up to reinforce our squad,” said Navarro, who also serves as a Zamboanga City councilor.

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Navarro emphasized that the Valientes had no role in the ongoing discussions between Slaughter and PBA newcomer Titan Ultra.

“Yun ang sinabi n’ya, wala pa sila contract so since free siya I asked him if he can join us. He said yes. Parang continuity lang to ng usapan naming from Dubai,” Navarro added.

Insider sources revealed that Slaughter’s potential move to Titan Ultra has been delayed due to administrative hurdles, including the team needing clearance from the PBA and its board regarding his status. In fact, Titan Ultra management was reportedly summoned to the PBA offices to address the matter.

For now, all eyes will be on Melbourne as the Valientes aim to make a statement with Slaughter anchoring their frontcourt—a story that blends international exposure with the ongoing intrigue surrounding one of Philippine basketball’s most talked-about big men.

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