WNBL's path to pro "long overdue"

Women's basketball is long overdue for its professional debut.

For Rhose Montreal and Bea Daez-Fabros, the number speak for themselves as they gear up for the third season of the Women's National Basketball League which they hope they tip-off on January next year.

Having already given the nod by the Games and Amusements Board recently, Montreal could not hide their excitement as the applications for its inaugural draft went way beyond their expectations.
“In only two days, we drew 327 draft applicants,” she said in the weekly online forum of the Philippine Sportswriters' Association late Tuesday morning, with the league have already have been played in two seasons already before given the pro nod last August.

For the league's executive vice president, the plan was already in place to go pro, saying that it is in their trademark boldness and guts to get to the next level.

“Even before the pandemic, there were plans to bring the WNBL to the next level which was to turn pro,”  Montreal added.

In their first pro season, the WNBL is expected to get their activities within their time frame, as they are looking to have ten to twelve teams in their roster.

After the draft application window closes by the end of September, October will be a very busy draft month for them in which it will be followed by a preseason tournament before the teams battle in the court for its January 2021 tip-off.

For the former UP Lady Maroon, it's about time that the women's basketball players now has a league of their own, something that is almost near to impossible before.

“For all female ballers this has always been a dream -- to have a pro league,” she said, adding that everyone in their tight-knit community has no qualms to not chase their dreams that once eluded them before.

“There is zero apprehension among us female players. It’s been all excitement. Everybody is trying to get back in shape even from their homes. Even the older ones (in their forties) are coming out of retirement.”

Photo: WNBL (FILE)