Lebron Lopez gets unanimous UAAP board clearance in Season 86 to play for UP

MANILA, Philippines – Former UAAP high school standout and Overtime Elite recruit Francis ‘Lebron’ Lopez has been officially allowed to play for the UP Fighting Maroons in the upcoming Season 86 men’s basketball tournament, UP athletic director Bo Perasol confirmed on Wednesday, September 27.

“First and foremost, I’m just really happy for Francis. I really think that he deserves to play in this country,” Perasol told reporters in the UAAP Season 86 press conference at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“I think it will be executive director [Atty.] Rebo [Saguisag] who will explain how we came up with that, but there was a unanimous decision about his playing year. It’s all about giving him a chance to play. He’s young, he’s got the talent, so he needs to showcase whatever he has.”

Lopez’s eligibility to play UAAP collegiate basketball immediately came into question after returning from his aborted Overtime stint in the US, as he may already have accepted a salary despite not playing a single minute professionally, and thereby nullifying his amateur status.

The UAAP board’s 8-0 decision, however, puts those rumors to rest, and Saguisag provided a more detailed look on how that process unfolded.

“Documents and available evidence to us were reviewed, and it was found by the eligibility committee and approved by the Board of Managing Directors that he was eligible,” he said.

“According to internal rules and procedure, there was no complaint from any member school [that was] filed and substantiated by evidence.”

With the legal hurdles now behind him, Lopez is set to join a loaded Fighting Maroons squad that still has reigning MVP Malick Diouf, finals hero JD Cagulangan, and new captain CJ Cansino.

Is his last UAAP season with Ateneo high school back in 2020, Lopez averaged 16.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and a staggering 3.0 blocks in just 25 minutes per game to cop Season 82 high school Mythical Five honors.

Since then, the 6-foot-5 athletic freak has earned exposure as part of the Gilas Pilipinas seniors team in various FIBA windows.

“What we all know is that he was not able to leave the Philippines, much less play in any league,” Saguisag continued. “Even the status of the said league, OTE, has yet to be established. People call it professional, but what really is it? Even that has to be carefully studied.”

“I’m sure people will say, but there are news reports [saying otherwise], so that’s why I said earlier that the evidence we needed at least in the board is more than just paper reports, especially when it would involve depriving any young person, not just Mr. Lopez, the opportunity to participate in the UAAP.”

Saguisag added that there were “hundreds” of other student-athlete cases that were eventually allowed by the board heading to this season, and Lopez just so happened to be more “high-profile” than the others.

After multiple offseason tournaments with UP, Lopez will finally get a chance to make his UAAP college debut as early as Sunday, October 1, when the Fighting Maroons take on the Adamson Soaring Falcons. – Rappler.com