SBP urges Quentin Millora-Brown to stay in the Philippines to strengthen Gilas eligibility bid

Quentin Millora-Brown emerged as a standout player for the UP Fighting Maroons in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), leading his university to the UAAP championship in 2024.

Millora-Brown’s performances in the UAAP have led to a strong clamor for the 24-year-old to be included in the Gilas Pilipinas squad. The young star was recently seen in action as part of the Macau Black Bears lineup that faced Gilas in a tune-up game, a friendly which they eventually lost 103-98 on the back of Justin Brownlee’s brilliance.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio was in attendance at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday, July 28, for the tune-up game. He confirmed to the media that he urged Millora-Brown to stay in the Philippines and play in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to boost his chances of representing Gilas as a local.

“I told QMB: ‘Stay here, play here.’ FIBA came up with a ruling that he is currently a naturalized player, and he is aware of that. I told him not to give up on his dream of playing for Gilas, but he also has to spend time in the Philippines and help develop basketball here,” Panlilio said.

Notably, players who followed a similar path include Ateneo de Manila University standouts Chris Newsome and Greg Slaughter. Newsome spent significant time in the Philippines during his collegiate years and has played for the Meralco Bolts in the PBA since 2015. Meanwhile, Slaughter played basketball both in Cebu and for Ateneo, and later represented Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and NorthPort Batang Pier from 2013 to 2021.

GOOD LUCK, QMB ✊🏽🇲🇴

Quentin Millora-Brown warms up ahead of the Macau’s sendoff showdown against Gilas Pilipinas. The 6’10” Fil-Am big signed with the Black Bears this July. | via Gillian Trinidad/One Sports#GilasPilipinas pic.twitter.com/6HkfGwNFKq

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) July 28, 2025

Panlilio highlighted the examples of Newsome and Slaughter, who were previously categorized as naturalized players by FIBA but were eventually able to suit up for Gilas as locals. He believes this is the path Millora-Brown should follow.

“FIBA looks at that as a favorable situation for him. Look at Newsome — the reason why they gave him that ruling was because he invested his time here, helped develop basketball, and is now a big contributor to the national team,” he added.

It is understood that the SBP has been working over the past three months to secure Millora-Brown’s eligibility to play for the Philippine men’s national basketball team as a local.

The SBP has actively collected documents to prove that Millora-Brown qualifies to play as a local under FIBA rules. Reportedly, he has submitted a copy of his passport, which was issued to him before he turned 16 — a key prerequisite under FIBA regulations for players with dual citizenship.

The 24-year-old, for his part, recently confirmed that he would not be entering his name in Season 50 of the PBA Rookie Draft, as he is currently eyeing a stint in Europe and is eager to play in one of the European leagues.

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