Filipino Worldwide: Where to Follow the Players Competing Abroad

There was a time when following Filipino basketball abroad meant checking on a handful of names. These days, keeping up requires a longer watchlist.

A former UAAP favorite might be playing in Japan or South Korea. A Filipino-American guard could be building a career in Germany or Mexico. For fans of the women’s game, the next appointment might be a league fixture in Poland.

The routes are different, but the connection is shared. Across the NBA, Asian leagues, and European clubs, players with Filipino ancestry are giving fans back home more reasons to look beyond the local calendar.

Here is our guide to their current clubs, grouped by competition.

It includes overseas-born players alongside those who developed in the Philippines, with club affiliations confirmed as of October 16. Signed players awaiting their season openers or recovering from injuries remain included.

The NBA’s Filipino connections

Jordan Clarkson remains the most familiar link culture-wise. Still with the New York Knicks and now an NBA champion, the former Sixth Man of the Year previously represented the Philippines at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Jalen Green, the second overall selection in the 2021 draft, brings another prominent Filipino-American presence with the Phoenix Suns.

The Harper brothers give fans two more teams to follow. Dylan Harper plays for the San Antonio Spurs, the team New York beat in last year’s NBA finals, while older brother Ron Harper Jr. is with the Boston Celtics, perhaps bound for a bigger role. Both played college basketball at Rutgers and trace their Filipino roots through their mother, Maria.

Jared McCain completes the group with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The former Duke guard, originally drafted by Philadelphia in 2024, has publicly acknowledged his Filipino ancestry, albeit at a low percentage.

Japan’s growing contingent

Japan has become an important destination for Philippine basketball talent, with established national-team players, former PBA standouts, and recent collegiate stars spread across its clubs.

The league’s 2026–27 restructuring introduced B.PREMIER, B.ONE, and B.NEXT.

In the top-flight B.PREMIER, Kai Sotto is with Altiri Chiba. Now a veteran of the league, the former Ateneo high school star’s professional journey has taken him through Australia and Japan. Fellow Gilas big man AJ Edu, who played college basketball at Toledo, represents the Gunma Crane Thunders.

Dwight Ramos continues with Levanga Hokkaido, while Ray Parks Jr. is with the Ibaraki Robots.

The Ravena brothers remain part of the Japanese scene. Kiefer, a two-time Ateneo MVP and former NLEX guard, plays for the Ryukyu Golden Kings. Thirdy, whose arrival in 2020 helped open the B.League’s Asian special-quota pathway, suits up for the Toyama Grouses.

Two more familiar collegiate names complete the B.PREMIER contingent. Former La Salle big man Mike Phillips now plays for the Kyoto Hannaryz, while Quentin Millora-Brown, who helped UP win the UAAP Season 87 title, is with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins.

Five players compete in the second-tier B.ONE. Former UP wing Francis Lopez represents Fighting Eagles Nagoya, while Jamie Malonzo, whose Philippine career included La Salle, NorthPort, and Barangay Ginebra, plays for Earthfriends Tokyo Z.

Matthew Aquino, the Filipino-Japanese center and son of PBA great Marlou Aquino, is with Kagoshima Rebnise. Former Phoenix and Gilas shooter Matthew Wright plays for the Saitama Broncos. Roosevelt Adams, the first overall pick in the 2019 PBA regular draft, represents Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka.

Nine names to follow in Korea

South Korea’s KBL offers another substantial watchlist, including players who arrived directly from college and others who established themselves professionally elsewhere.

Carl Tamayo, formerly of UP, plays for the Changwon LG Sakers. Former La Salle star Kevin Quiambao, a two-time UAAP MVP, represents the Goyang Sono Skygunners. Arvin Tolentino, who developed into a leading PBA scorer with NorthPort, is with the Seoul SK Knights.

Ethan Alvano continues with Wonju DB Promy. The Filipino-American guard has already made a significant mark in Korea, winning the KBL’s domestic-player MVP award for 2023–24. SJ Belangel, the former Ateneo guard who became the league’s first Filipino Asian-quota signing, remains with Daegu KOGAS Pegasus.

RELATED: Read our cover story on SJ Belangel here.

Former Benilde teammates Justin Gutang and Migs Oczon represent different clubs: Gutang plays for the Seoul Samsung Thunders, while Oczon is with Suwon KT Sonicboom after previously playing for Ulsan Hyundai Mobis.

Ulsan now has former UP guard Gerry Abadiano. Rhenz Abando, meanwhile, plays for the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters, the club he helped win the 2022–23 KBL championship after starring for Letran.

The European routes

Spain’s Liga ACB features Boogie Ellis with Joventut Badalona. The Filipino-American guard played at Memphis and USC before entering the professional ranks.

In Germany, Kihei Clark is attached to Bundesliga club RASTA Vechta, although he has recently been sidelined by injury. The Filipino-American point guard was part of Virginia’s 2019 NCAA championship team.

Kamaka Hepa plays for Cibona in Croatia’s Premier League. The Alaska-born forward with Filipino ancestry played college basketball at Texas and Hawaii before taking his career overseas.

Mexico and Hong Kong

Mikh McKinney’s career has carried him well beyond the familiar Japan–Korea route. The Filipino-American guard, a former Sacramento State standout and prominent ASEAN Basketball League player with Macau, is now with Mexico’s Dorados de Chihuahua in the LNBP.

Hong Kong has two more names worth following. Former Ateneo captain BJ Andrade signed a three-year deal with Winling after playing in the PBA. Former Letran player Joshua de Villa represents Chun Yu, having previously suited up for Hong Kong Eastern.

Both compete in Hong Kong’s A1 Division, which includes a mixture of professional and semi-professional arrangements.

The women building careers overseas

Jack Animam’s next chapter is in Poland with Energa Torun. The former NU star and longtime Gilas center has built an overseas resume across Asia and Europe, making her one of the most experienced Filipino players on the international club circuit.

South Korea’s WKBL has two more players with Philippine ties. Vanessa de Jesus, the former Duke guard who debuted for Gilas Women at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, is with Busan BNK Sum.

Alexis “Lexi” Pana plays for Cheongju KB Stars. The Filipino-American guard competed at Central Washington before beginning a professional career that has taken her to multiple countries.