San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright has taken his oath of allegiance as a Filipino citizen. That moves him closer to playing for Gilas Pilipinas, but he is not eligible yet.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced the oath-taking on Wednesday, Oct. 21. "The final step now is the processing of his Philippine Passport," the federation said.
What's Left
After the passport, FIBA still has to clear Boatwright before he can suit up as Gilas' naturalized player. Gilas plays in the next window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers: against Syria on Nov. 27 and Iran on Nov. 29, both in Seremban, Malaysia. Whether he makes it in time depends on how quickly those two steps are done.
A Long Process
Boatwright's naturalization started in 2024 but stalled after he suffered an Achilles injury that year and missed a long stretch. The process picked up again in May, when he returned to San Miguel for the PBA 50 Commissioner's Cup. He had been eyed as Gilas' naturalized player for the 2026 Asian Games but could not play there.
"It's been a long process but we finally got it done," Boatwright said in a video posted by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino.
Reports differed on whether he took the oath at the Philippine embassy or a consulate in China. The SBP did not specify in its statement.
