PBA imposes three-year ban on players signing overseas or in other leagues

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has implemented newly approved guidelines imposing a three-year ban on free agents and draftees who choose to sign contracts with overseas or other domestic leagues instead of staying with the PBA.

The rule applies to players who refuse to sign with the team that drafted them—despite receiving a valid contract offer—and instead opt to play in a foreign or competing local league.

It also covers rookie prospects who decline to sign the Unified Players’ Contract (UPC) from their drafting teams and instead join other leagues, as well as current players who refuse to re-sign or renegotiate with their former teams after their contracts expire.

The decision comes in response to a recent wave of player departures. Among them, Barangay Ginebra forward Jamie Malonzo signed with the Kyoto Hannaryz in Japan’s B. League, while William Navarro of Magnolia successfully finished his transfer to the Busan KCC Egis of the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

Arvin Tolentino, a former NorthPort Batang Pier sharpshooter, also exited the league midway through the Philippine Cup to join the Seoul SK Knights in the KBL—a move that helped prompt the PBA to enforce the new rule.

PBA’s response

Amid the continuous departure of some of the PBA’s best young talents, the board has approved a rule which hands a three-year ban to players who leaves their team hanging to play elsewhere #PBA50https://t.co/wbDYcEdlKT

— SPIN.ph (@spinph) August 5, 2025

Even unsigned rookies are affected. Dave Ildefonso, NorthPort’s fifth overall pick in the PBA Season 49 Draft, reportedly failed to come to terms with the team and instead joined the Abra Weavers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Looking ahead, all rookies selected in the upcoming PBA Draft on September 7 will fall under the new player rights rule, which grants the drafting team perpetual rights to the player, regardless of contract status.

Under this policy, the player’s rights will remain with their original or “mother” team indefinitely—unless specific conditions are met.

Exemptions apply to players who are not offered a new contract within 30 days after the expiration of their UPC, allowing them to become unrestricted free agents (UFA) free to sign with any team.

The same exemption applies to players who qualify for free agency after seven years in the league, or a total of 21 conferences, based on existing PBA free agency rules.

The league’s latest move is expected to have a major impact on how teams manage contracts and retain player talent amid growing international interest in Filipino basketball players.

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