Manny Pacquiao Basketball: 5 Reasons Why Boxing Champ Might Not Make it Big in PBA

With Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao eager to become one of the stars of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), fans are questioning if he really has the skills to make it big in the league.

In the opening of the new PBA season, which starts this Oct. 19, Pacquiao is ready to play with the Kia Sorentos after he was recently drafted by the team. He was also earlier hired by the said PBA contender as its playing coach.

"I already talked to coach Freddie Roach that I am going to play in the PBA, maybe just two to three minutes," Pacquiao told local TV channel ABS-CBN in an interview.

He also noted that though he is preparing for his basketball career, boxing remains his first priority noting that he is very much focused for his upcoming fight with Chris Algieri in Macau this November.

Many people are excited to see how Pacquiao will fair on the court against giant players and shooters who will surely give him a hard time during the games. So here are a few possible reasons for Pacquaio to not make a big name in the PBA especially that this is an extremely different sport from boxing.

1. His size and age - ABS-CBN noted that the 5-foot-6 Filipino boxer was considered to be the "shortest and oldest" rookie in the recent draft and this makes fans doubt his performance especially if he will be playing with opponents who can be as tall as seven feet.

2. His numerous priorities - It is not unknown that aside from boxing and basketball, Pacquiao is also a representative of a district in his hometown Sarangani. He has proven to his constituents that he does not only mind sports but also gives importance to public service. This big responsibility can also be viewed as a hindrance to his success in the PBA especially with the hectic sessions he needs to attend at the House of Representatives coupled with his boxing and basketball practice.

3. Freddie Roach - Of course, Roach would want to keep the boxer's focus on boxing alone as he is already nearing retirement and his camp is also eyeing to fight Floyd Mayweather next year. In an earlier Latino Post article, Roach said that he has been trying to push Pacm,an to put his mind on boxing first and encouraging him to train in the United States instead of the Philippines--away from the temptation of basketball. Pacquiao, on the other hand, decided to train in General Santos so that he could be closer to his Kia team.

4. His experience with the sport - Pacquaio has always been known to be a boxer and not a basketball player. Though he has been playing ball as part of his training, he has never really participated in professional basketball.

5. His skills - This was a concern recently raised by Rain or Shine Elasto Painters' Beau Belga who said in a Zee News India report that Pacquiao's basketball skills are "not really impressive."

Whatever happens to Pacquiao's venture into basketball will be highly-anticipated. For sure, his fans are definitely hoping that whatever sport he enters, he will remain to be the people-loving and charming champion that the Philippines has always been proud of.