Douthit to play for Express in Commissioner’s Cup

FORMER Smart-Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Marcus Douthit will finally be able to play in the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup after the former NBA player got to strike a deal with the Air21 Express, which competed in the last conference as the Shopinas.com Clickers.

The Express were awarded exclusive rights by the PBA Board of Governors last week to sign Douthit for the Commissioner’s Cup, which imposes no height limit on imports.

Air 21 has had a modest buildup during the break, acquiring forwards Nelbert Omolon and Mark Isip from Meralco to bolster its frontline. In exchange, the Express sent Mark Canlas, Dennis Daa, and a 2012 first round pick that originally belonged to the Bolts back to Meralco.

Former Rookie of the Year Rabeh Al-Hussaini was offered to the Air 21 Express, but the team refused to pay the steep price being asked by Petron for the second-year center.

Al-Hussaini is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in last season’s Governors’ Cup. He was drafted by the original Air 21 franchise (now Barako Bull) before being sent to San Miguel (now Petron) in a blockbuster trade midway through his rookie year. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio