SLAUGHTER TO RETURN. Ginebra center Greg Slaughter in action. Slaughter said Tuesday (Dec. 29, 2020) he was looking forward to returning after his surprise break from play for the entire PBA season and apologized to Ginebra’s management for not communicating properly with them about his hiatus. (Photo courtesy of PBA)
MANILA – Ginebra center Greg Slaughter is looking forward to a return to the team after his surprise break from play for the entire Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season.
"I am very excited at the prospect of being able to play again," Slaughter said on Twitter on Tuesday.
The seven-foot beanpole then apologized to Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua and San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang for not communicating properly with them about his hiatus.
"My only regret is that the communication between myself and (the) management, particularly Boss RSA and Coach Alfrancis Chua, did not go as smoothly as I would have wanted. I want to apologize to them and the rest of (the) management for any misunderstanding or bad feelings that may have occurred because of my decision," he said.
Many PBA fans were stunned when on February 8, shortly after the Barangay clinched the 2020 Governors' Cup title, Slaughter announced that he would not join them for the then upcoming season.
He remained in his sabbatical despite Ginebra's season opener being moved to October as the pandemic forced the postponement of the games until the league decided to hold a bubble in Metro Angeles just for the season to resume.
"My intention was purely to improve myself, both as a person and as a basketball player," he said. "Basketball has been my life for close to 30 years, and I needed to step away for a while in order to start enjoying the game again."
Slaughter used the time off to return to the United States for training.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone even bared last July that Slaughter was rumored to do a tryout with an NBA G-League team, which seemed to have not materialized.
'That's good'
Meanwhile, Chua seemed to have accepted Slaughter's apology, although he said he has yet to read the entire statement.
"Really? That's good," he told CNN Philippines in an interview later in the night. "I think he's mature enough to realize that what he did is wrong."
Chua insisted that "there is no bad blood" between him and Slaughter despite what happened last February.
He, however, said he has taken some time off during the Christmas season, so a talk between him and Slaughter may only take place after New Year's Day.
"I've been very busy with work the past few weeks and I am looking forward to just enjoying the holidays. So that's why I haven't thought about it," Chua said. "Maybe after the holidays, we can talk in person." (PNA)
