EVEN just as a practice player, Chris Ross is willing to lend a hand to the Gilas Pilipinas cause.
The San Miguel Beer guard said he's just a call away if the national team needed an additional extra body especially now that it is in the thick of preparations for the coming FIBA World Cup.
And just a call away means literally, according to Ross, who said he just stay a few blocks away from where coach Yeng Guiao and his team are practicing at the Meralco gym in Ortigas.
"I live literally just right next door and I can just walk. And it wouldn't be a problem for me going over there," said Ross moments after San Miguel defeated no. 2 seed NorthPort, 98-84, to force a sudden-death game in the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals series on Sunday.
"I can just walk over if they call me like 10 minutes before practice I can just go if they don't have enough (people)," added Ross.
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But in all seriousness, Ross did sent out feelers to Guiao and the rest Gilas Pilipinas management about his willingness to help out in the team's twice-a-week training.
"Just to lend a helping hand, cause I know they need as much practice and they need some different looks, so that's why I just offer my services," said the 34-year-old guard from Texas.
Ross has long expressed his eagerness to become part of the national team, although he's more likely to be considered as naturalized player under FIBA rules since he didn't get a Filipino passport before he turned 16 years old.
Still that doesn't prevent him from offering his services to Gilas Pilipinas in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games where rules are not as strict compared to FIBA.
At the moment though, he's volunteering himself to be part of the national team as a practice player.
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"If they don't need me, that's fine. It's just an offer," Ross said. (RG)
