Marcus Douthit: The Big Daddy Difference

Thank You Douthit!

With Team Pilipinas a.k.a. SMART Gilas 2.0 looking stronger by the day, even causing greats such as Ronnie Magsanoc and Vince Hizon to call it the "best ever," we should all take time to thank the one guy who has made the biggest transition of all in the name of overall success.

We're talking about no less than naturalized center Marcus Douthit-- the 6"10 pillar of strength that has seen and led two different Pilipinas basketball selections over the last two to three years. The soft-spoken big man with droopy eyes and fundamentally sound finesse low post moves has not only embraced his new country but has quickly adapted to whatever system is presented him.

Back when then Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman brought the New Yorker in, expectations were unfairly high on Douthit. The SMART Gilas program was taking quite a while to develop, and though the system was working and our players were being developed-- we were still a basketball doughnut despite having an import named C.J. Giles (who was more athletic than skilled, not too mention him being skinnier than Gabe Norwood *not a complement for a center*).

Instead of folding under the spotlight, Douthit shone even brighter. A rare combination of size, speed, length and smarts-- Douthit carried a bunch of kids all around the world and brought Pilipinas basketball back to respectability. Help came come FIBA Asia time wherein the team brought in some PBA level talent, and we all saw the rise in skill of young guys like JVee Casio, Chris Tiu, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz, but there was no disregarding the fact that it was Douthit's team and that we would only go as far as he'd take us.

Today however, it's a completely different story. Yes, Douthit will still come through with the prerequisite 20-15 numbers expected of reinforcements, but the offense runs from all corners and not just through Douthit alone. The new system, new teammates, coaches and expectations-- none of it appears to have shaken Douthit or kept him from playing the way he always does. Yes, he struggled in that China game, but there's only so much one can do (no matter how great) when a bunch of wide-eyed seven foot Chinese youngsters are eager to show you up on the basketball court.

What Douthit gave up on offense, he still provides for in defense. Our dribble drive offense works because teams are unable to leave Douthit in the paint to help versus slashers. Anytime Douthit catches the ball within 12 feet, you can just forget about stopping him. So instead of having Douthit dunk on their heads, they try to scramble elsewhere to stop us. Everyone is forced to move, to help, which in turn leaves our shooters wide open to pretty much take their time to set-up shop.

Defensively when he's not being called for ticky-tack fouls (that's more referees than mental lapses), Douthit covers for his guards who aren't exactly defensive stalwarts by trade. We've head Coach Chot Reyes scream at his guys during the ongoing FIBA Asia Cup tournament to funnel in guys to the waiting, helping Douthit who uses his seven foot wingspan to the hilt.

Moving forward, there are those who are frothing at the mouth for the Denver Nuggets' freak-of-an-athlete center JaVale McGee to one day suit up for Pilipinas. This writer however, says that we're doing just fine (and even better) with Douthit.

Because of his meek and down-to-earth personality, it's kind of weird seeing Douthit in person at the mall or wherever. Fans such as myself don't know whether to praise the guy, give him a high five-- or by instinct, jump on the giant's back and see how the air is up there. Still, all the love and respect to him for doing work with Pilipinas win, lose or draw.

Douthit is all Filipino in my book.