PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said that flashy guard Kyt Jimenez has sought his opinion regarding his appearance in a tournament overseas.
But that doesn’t mean he is off the hook.
In fact, Marcial confirmed that Jimenez is set to be banned from the league following his participation in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship with the Zamboanga Valientes.
That is after Jimenez played there without securing proper clearance from the PBA.
Marcial emphasized that Jimenez’s current stint with the Valientes constitutes a violation of the Uniform Player’s Contract (UPC) he signed with his PBA team, San Miguel Beermen.
The guard had agreed to join the Valientes after being moved to the Beermen’s unrestricted free agent list, despite still having one year left on his three-year deal with the team.
While Jimenez sought permission from SMB management to play in the Dubai tournament, Marcial made it clear that the PBA star failed to secure formal clearance from the Commissioner’s Office.
According to Marcial, the UPC is a tripartite agreement between the player, the team, and the league, and any release or approval for such stints requires the sign-off from all parties involved.
“Nakapirma ako sa lahat ng players’ contracts, since tripartite sila,” Marcial explained.
While Jimenez now faces a ban, the door to a return to the PBA remains open for the former Mavs Phenomenal star.
Marcial stated that Jimenez has already reached out to the league, and if he wishes to return or appeal the ban, he can do so once he has an opportunity to re-sign with a professional ballclub.
For now, Jimenez’s future in the PBA hinges on resolving this contractual issue, but Marcial made it clear that the league will entertain his case if he wishes to re-enter the fold.