Chambers open to offers

PBA import legend Sean Chambers recently completed a two-week tour of duty with TNT working on skills development and joined the Tropa at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba on interim head coach/team manager Jojo Lastimosa’s invitation. This Friday, Chambers will be back in town from his base in Sacramento to entertain offers from parties interested in tapping his services as a coach. He’s not divulging what’s on the table but no doubt about it, the 13-year PBA veteran is excited to spend more time in the country that he has grown to love.

Chambers, 58, is busy multi-tasking in Sacramento as an educator for nearly 20 years. He runs a middle school basketball camp that employs five Filipinos, coaches a girls high school team and is heavily involved in youth development. But every opportunity he has to return to the Philippines, Chambers finds a way to come back.

“When I played in the PBA, every year, I wanted to return and be better,” he said. “I was 24 when I began playing for Alaska. I’d been on two tours to Manila before coach Tim (Cone) recommended me to our team owner Mr. Fred (Uytengsu) to replace Carl Lott. During my time, the No. 1 import was Bobby Parks and there’s a reason why they name the Best Import award after him. But the PBA also had great imports in Kenny Travis, Tony Harris and Ken Redfield. Those guys loved the country, loved the culture, loved the people. That’s why they played so hard because they always wanted to keep coming back like me. Today, guys like Justin (Brownlee) and Rondae (Hollis Jefferson) are just as amazing. I’ve always told imports that the PBA is their NBA, this is where they can make a name for themselves.”

Chambers played in his first PBA Finals in the 1990 Governors’ Cup. “We lost to an incredible Purefoods team with Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera, Nelson Asaytono and Glenn Capacio,” he related. “Next season, we beat Ginebra in the same conference for coach Tim’s first title. That had to be my best memory because the first is always the most cherished even more than in 1996 when we won the Commissioner’s and Governors Cups. At Alaska, we were like brothers and to this day, we remain tight with Jojo, Johnny