MANILA, Philippines – NLEX is not settling for anything less when it comes to its import for the PBA Governors’ Cup.

The Road Warriors will bring in another former NBA player in Wayne Selden as replacement for Jonathon Simmons, who is set to leave the team after playing four games in the season-ending conference.

NLEX head coach Frankie Lim said Selden will arrive in the country the earliest on Thursday, February 2.

“He has a big shoe to fill because we’ve seen how Simms plays,” Lim told CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk in Filipino.

“I understand Wayne is also a scorer. He can score in and out. I’ve seen his tapes, when they showed it to me, I said he is good.”

Simmons keyed the Road Warriors to a 2-0 start with averages of 32.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.5 steals in wins over Blackwater and NorthPort.

But the former San Antonio Spurs standout is set to part ways with NLEX after its February 4 game against Phoenix as he returns to the Chinese Basketball Association.

“Simms, for me, is a nice teammate because he gets everybody involved. He knows who his shooters are. He has a good basketball sense,” said Lim.

The Road Warriors, though, look like they are in good hands with the arrival of Selden, who played four seasons in the NBA for the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks.

In 127 regular season games, the 6-foot-4 Selden averaged 7.2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.

Selden last saw action for the Manisa BB of the Basketball Super League in Turkey.

Lim said he is still trying to convince Simmons to stay for another game as NLEX battles Barangay Ginebra on February 8.

“I told him Ginebra is a strong team and we will need him,” Lim said. – Rappler.com