‘Band-aid’ solutions: Yeng Guiao urges PBA to strengthen player policies to avoid ‘talent drain’

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao called out the PBA for restricting players from signing for overseas teams, urging them to strengthen player policies instead.

The PBA recently announced a new rule that bans players for three years who opt to play overseas rather than signing or re-signing with PBA teams. The policy was the league’s attempt to combat the growing trend of players choosing to play overseas rather than in the PBA.

In an interview with Fastbreak, the long-time coach described the recent policy as a “band-aid” solution to a bigger problem that will persist in the future. 

“Ito parang band-aid lang ito na inilagay natin. Napakalaking sugat, pero ang pinanggamot mo ay band-aid. So may sugat pa rin at hindi pa rin gagaling ‘yung sugat na ‘yun,” he said.

“By putting the ban, siguro, ang mangyayari dyan parang temporary relief or solution. At the end of the day, pupunta at pupunta rin ang player kung saan siya mas may pakinabang,” Guiao added.

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Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao weighed in on the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) policy restricting players from pursuing opportunities abroad, describing it as a temporary fix that fails to address the league’s deeper challenges.https://t.co/hhpjLx6ZV2

— Fastbreak (@fastbreaknewsph) September 8, 2025

Players such as Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, and Rhenz Abando are playing their careers internationally following decorated stints in the UAAP and NCAA. They have never set foot in a PBA court, but have played for Gilas Pilipinas.

Guiao suggested that there may be a better way to avoid the talent drain than simply banning players.

“Siguro dapat tayo mag-isip ng iba pang mas creative na paraan. Or, palakasin natin ang PBA lalo,” he said.

Before winning two championships with Rain or Shine alongside three with the defunct Red Bull franchise and two with the also-defunct Pop Cola Panthers, Guao served as the commissioner of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) from 1997 to 1999.

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