Manny Pacquiao News, Rumors 2015: Daniel Orton Fined for Comments on Pacquiao and PBA Referees
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Chito Salud issued a stern warning to the present and the future imports never to disrespect the league's referees and players even if they are not as capable as they think.
On Friday, the PBA Commissioner slapped Purefoods Star Hotshots reinforcement and former NBA player Daniel Orton a humongous PHP250 thousand (about $5,600) fine for his post-game statements after their shocking loss to Manny Pacquiao and the Kia Carnival Wednesday night.
"For issuing comments that are disparaging, disrespectful of and offensive to his host league, the game officials and a fellow player and head coach of a member-team, a penalty of 250,000 pesos is hereby imposed on Mr. Orton," Salud said in a statement posted to the league's official Twitter account.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
PBA's chief statistician Fidel Mangonon told The Christian Post that the sanction against Orton was the largest for an import since another former NBA player, Renaldo Balkman, also got fined PHP250 thousand for an altercation with fellow San Miguel Beerman Arwind Santos in a 2013 game. Orton, however, escaped a possible ban by the PBA just like what the league did to Balkman.
Orton on Wednesday said that Pacquiao the basketball player is "a joke" and the referees turned the game into "a mockery".
However, PBA operations chief Rickie Santos told Lyn Olavario and Rey Joble of TV5 that Orton claimed his rants were "taken out of context" and that he only expressed his own take of the game.
"Regardless of what action his ballclub may take regarding his status, this office disapproves of and frowns upon the cavalier manner in which Mr. Orton issued his comments and the unwarranted antics and liberties he has taken with the league and a fellow player," the commissioner continued. "This insulting behavior will never be condoned by this league."
A report by Mark Giongco and Waylon Galvez of the Manila Bulletin, through its tabloid affiliate Tempo, claimed that the Hotshots are likely to cut short Orton's stint and may reactivate Marqus Blakely as the team's import.
However, Blakely, as reported by GMA's Marisse Panaligan, is considering a shoulder surgery as he was injured the said part during an earlier Purefoods game against GlobalPort.
