KBL bans Justine Baltazar for two seasons — report

The Korean Basketball League (KBL) has slapped Filipino big man Justine Baltazar a two-year ban after the latter’s no-show for his club Seoul Samsung Thunders, a report by Jumpball said on Thursday.

According to the report, which was based on a press release from KBL, Baltazar was supposed to be returning to South Korea after his stint with the Strong Group in the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship.

The Philippine representatives bowed out in the quarterfinals after a loss to Al Riyadi of Lebanon.

But Samsung lost contact with the La Salle product, prompting the team and the league to sanction Baltazar. The same report said Baltazar didn’t also apply for a Korean visa even though the team had already sent him the necessary documents.

The 25-year-old Gilas Pilipinas forward previously played in the Japan B. League for the Hiroshima Dragonflies.

—Bea Micaller/MGP, GMA Integrated News

This article KBL bans Justine Baltazar for two seasons — report was originally published in GMA News Online.