MANILA, Philippines – It may not be the end of the road for former NBA veteran Thomas Robinson as he remains committed to San Miguel.

Beermen head coach Leo Austria said Robinson is raring to return to the Philippines even after the American import left for the United States on Wednesday, October 5, following a back injury.

The initial import choice for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Robinson got relegated to the reserved list as San Miguel replaced him with Diamond Stone.

“He opted to leave so he can recuperate and then he told the management, ‘I’ll be back and I want to win a championship with you guys.’ He said he wants to recover first,” said Austria in a mix of Filipino and English.

Expectations were high for Robinson, the fifth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-10 big man played five season in the NBA and saw action for the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Lakers.

He has NBA career averages of 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds.

The Beermen, though, found out only a few days before their conference opener against Blackwater that Robinson is unfit to play.

“It is disappointing because when it comes to talent, we all know how he plays,” Austria said.

A last-minute replacement, Stone struggled in his PBA debut as he finished with 20 points on a 7-of-23 shooting to go with 8 rebounds in a stunning 109-106 loss to the Bossing on Wednesday.

Stone scored just 3 points in the final quarter, where they were outscored 32-17 in the comeback loss.

“To be fair, he still has not practiced with us and he probably lacks sleep,” Austria said. “He needs more time to adjust.”

San Miguel looks to crack the winning column when it faces Rain or Shine on Sunday, October 9, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig. – Rappler.com