Marc Pingris goes all-out as Sakuragi with red hair

Marc Pingris went full Sakuragi at Gilas Pilipinas practice on Monday night, showing up at Moro Lorenzo Gym in Ateneo with newly dyed red hair.

Known as Pinoy Sakuragi to Filipino fans, the veteran forward is a fan of the popular basketball anime Slam Dunk and its main protagonist Hanamichi Sakuragi.

Marc Pingris sporting a Pinoy Sakuragi look with red hair and Shohoku uniform @gmanews pic.twitter.com/f8x0sPjabF

— Marisse Panaligan (@marspanaligan) March 7, 2016

The red-haired character is a power forward with excellent rebounding kills just like Pingris, and fans have been long urging their idol to copy Sakuragi's hair color.

"Request lang ng mga fans 'yan. Gusto ko lang din naman silang pagbigyan," Pingris said after practice.

The Star Hotshots big man previously said he needs the approval of his wife Danica Sotto before he dyes his hair, but he took matters into his own hands this time around.

"Wala siyang nagawa dahil pagkakita niya pula na ang buhok ko e," he said about Danica's reaction to his hair. "'Ang guwapo mo,' ganun lang. 'Sakuragi ka na a.'"

Pingris stopped short of dyeing his eye brows red, but he joked that he also wanted to dye his "French blonde" arm pit hair.

As for his facial hair: "Ahitin ko 'to kasi si Sakuragi walang ganito e." —JST, GMA News