Coach Tim Cone on Greg Slaughter: ‘He wasn’t treated well on the internet’

Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone on Thursday addressed Greg Slaughter’s surprise announcement that he is going to take a break from basketball.

At the PBA Media Day in Okada Manila, Cone told reporters that the big man “needs to take a mental break.”

“He wasn’t treated well on the internet as we all know and I think that just kinda weighed on him and more importantly weighed on his family,” said the Gin Kings coach.

Coach Tim on Greg: I think he really needs to take a mental break. He wasn’t treated well on the internet as we all know and I think that just kinda weighed on him and more importantly weighed on his family. | @marspanaligan

— GMA News (@gmanews) February 27, 2020

Slaughter had been the subject of trolling and memes like many other players online.

Cone said he talked to Slaughter during his exit meeting two days after Ginebra won the Governors’ Cup championship.

“When I walked in the room with Greg, first thing he sat down he said, ‘I wanna take a break,’” he said. “He did mention three to four months at that time. I wasn’t sure if he was gonna go through with it.”

Slaughter then tweeted his announcement, and later confirmed his decision to Cone via text message.

Six years, four championships, a lifetime of experiences and memories. It’s been a fun ride being with this team. I will forever be proud to have played for Ginebra, a dream of mine that came true when they drafted… https://t.co/MMOVYobQuI

— Greg Slaughter (@GWillSlaughter) February 8, 2020

“I think that when you get to make a decision you let everybody know before you let everybody know publicly. That didn’t happen,” he said. “But he did communicate to me. And I did communicate that to the management after I heard about it. But after that, it’s kinda out of my hands. It’s above my pay grade.”

Cone said he doesn’t think Slaughter is retiring from basketball for good, but the break might just be what the center exactly needs.

“As much as it hurts to miss him, this is gonna be healthy for him,” he said. “This is gonna make him feel better and get him more prepared to play later on at a higher level.”