Note: I will be starting a new purely basketball site soon. 

 Probably at 4 24 20? 

 Thanks! 

 -------------------------

Rabeh Al-Hussaini is one reason why the whole PBA trades and transaction process is flawed.

According to Yeng Guiao, the reason why he chose Nonoy Baclao as the top pick of the 2010 PBA Draft is to check this guy’s attitude. Now I don’t have first-hand information on how his mind works, but there was a time when he averaged at least 15 points and 8 rebounds in one conference. This is during his rookie year and seeing the Al-Hussaini and Baclao combo in Air21 is kind of like an Alvin Patrimonio and Jerry Codinera combo throwback.

As of February 27, 2020, Rabeh Al-Hussaini has played for the Air21 Express, San Miguel Beermen (then called Petron), Powerade Tigers and GlobalPort Batang Pier, Talk N Text Tropang Texters, Meralco Bolts (two stints), NLEX Road Warriors, and Blackwater Elite.

As of February 28, 2020, Rabeh has returned to NLEX as part of the JP Erram deal.


DEAL NUMBER 1

BLACKWATER
NLEX
JP ERRAM
ANTHONY SEMERAD
RABEH AL-HUSSAINI
BLACKWATER’S 2020 FIRST-ROUND PICK
BLACKWATER’S 2021 SECOND-ROUND PICK
 
DEAL NUMBER 2

TNT
BLACKWATER
JP ERRAM
ED DAQUIOAG
MARION MAGAT
YOUSEF TAHA
TNT’S FUTURE FIRST-ROUND PICK
TNT’S FUTURE FIRST-ROUND PICK
 

It must be driving Al-Hussaini nuts to see all the fuzz for JP Erram. NLEX gave him up and gained a bench mob and two assets and then Blackwater gained three players and two first-rounders when they flipped him to TNT. When Rabeh was traded to Blackwater, he was a one-for-one for Dave Marcelo. In terms of development, Marcelo never stood a chance in the PBA in terms of scoring capabilities because he took a backseat to the San Beda foreign exchange students. Meanwhile, Al-Hussaini had the chance to snub the original Smart-Gilas squad so he can prioritize in making his pro game great. This may be an unpopular choice but seeing how the system ruined the careers of Jason Ballesteros, Mac Baracael, Dylan Ababou, Rey Guevarra, and JR Cawaling, it made sense.

But again, the process is the problem.

Air21 positioned itself as the official conduit of the San Miguel Corporation. Rabeh would have been in the level of Arwind Santos and Ranidel de Ocampo in terms of awesomeness if he stuck with the squad for at least three more seasons. He barely made one… so yeah, way to crush the hopes of this guy. And then he became trade bait. When San Miguel moved him to Powerade, they did it so they can obtain the services of Marcio Lassiter.

Nearly a decade later, he can’t stay in a team for more than two seasons.

I guess it’s hard for a coach to give a damn on him if he can’t give a damn on himself.   

But what can he do?

He has tried hissy-fitting and moving to the Middle East to play for his father’s country. He has tried his best to stay away from trouble and he just became a stale character. For so long, he has been a shadow of his old self and frankly, I think he needs to thank Yeng Guiao for picking him second because he could have become the worst top pick the league has ever seen.

Sonny Cabatu and Rey Cuenco played in a time when established centers like Ramon Fernandez, Abet Guidaben, Philip Cezar, and Manny Victorino were still lording the court. In some ways, I am choosing Alex Araneta because Alaska needed him to play well but he just languished in their second unit. It may be a copout but Apet Jao had Allan Caidic and later Vergel Meneses munching his minutes while Araneta could have taken it with Dong Polistico and Dickie Bachmann as his threats to succeed.

Rabeh Al-Hussaini could have had an elite career if he played in the 90s… regardless of attitude.  

Like I said, it’s the way the player contracts are structured. I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE I LEARNED HOW TO BLOG! A player can’t have a Hall of Fame career if he bounces from team to team and gets flanked by at least eight starter-worthy teammates! A player like Rabeh can ask for a trade to the small pond teams and at best, have the career of what Manny Paner, Lim Eng Beng, Jimmy Manansala, Paul Alvarez, Vic Pablo, and Mark Telan had. Heck, add Asi Taulava and Ali Peek on this list! Jun Limpot is a fringe Greatest Player candidate even if he only had one championship because he also had consistent double-digit numbers.

Just imagine if Rabeh and even Rich Alvarez for that matter, stayed in one team?

Game over.