Pacquiao 'interested' to play for GenSan team in Liga basketball tilt

MANILA, Philippines - He has dipped his hands into billiards, cockfighting, and darts. He was even seen playing chess in public. Now, boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao wants to get into competitive basketball. Pacquiao expressed interest to be inserted into the roster of the GenSan MP Warriors, the team Pacquiao himself owns, in the coming Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II, a league official confirmed on Thursday. "He's not yet in the official roster of the team, but coach (Ramon) Pido said it was Manny himself who called him, insisting that he be included in the line-up," Liga president and CEO Noli Eala said. Younger brother Bobby Pacquiao, however, is included in the 16-man roster of the GenSan club. Eala added that Pacquiao will grace the Liga opener on January 14 in General Santos City. Pacquiao's Warriors is one of two expansion teams in the new season. The Warriors' first match will be against the Ilocos Sur Bravehearts owned by former governor Luis Singson, a Pacquiao confidant. Eala revealed that Pacquiao first showed interest to join the Liga while Pacquiao was in the middle of training for the Oscar de la Hoya bout. "He called me up and asked me what the process was," Eala said. "I explained to him how it would go and after a few days, Manny told me it was a go." If Pacquiao suits up, that will jack up fan interest for the fledgling Liga Pilipinas. On Tuesday, the league welcomed its first legitimate star after the Trace-Laguna Stallions picked up two-time NCAA MVP Sam Ekwe. - GMANews.TV