Greg Slaughter said he is raring to go back to the PBA, four years after he last played in the league.
Slaughter, who last played in the PBA back in 2021 for the then-NorthPort Batang Pier, said that it is his ‘dream to come back’ to the PBA.
‘It’s been four years since I last played for the PBA. And I’ve missed it very much. I missed playing for the fans and competing in the top-level basketball league in the Philippines,’ he said.
‘A lot can happen in four years, and in truth, so much has: life experiences, growth and maturity. I’m older now and I am now the head of a family of five. I can honestly say that my life is great, but I also must admit, something has been missing,’ he added.
The 37-year-old center said that he is approaching ‘this new season in my life with humility,’ as he looked back and apologized on things he did wrong, including ‘miscommunications in the past that caused offense to an association that has been so good to me, an association that has made my dream of playing for a Filipino premier league come true.’
‘I am Fil-Am, but I have never felt more Filipino than when playing for the PBA. I’ve played elsewhere but nothing compares to playing for Filipino fans. They are the best in the world. Iba pa rin ang puso ng Pinoy,’ he said.
‘It is my dream to come back, and it is my dream for my family to see me proud of playing in the home court. I want my wife and children to watch me play basketball in the PBA again.
I want my three daughters to be proud of their father. I want them to grow up seeing me beam with pride in the PBA. To have a father who plays for the PBA is a legacy I want for my children.’
After being drafted first overall in the 2013 PBA Draft, he played for the Gin Kings until 2020. In March 2021, he was traded to NorthPort.
He then left the league in 2022 as he signed with the Rising Zephyr Fukuoka in the Japan B2 league.
In 2024, he returned to the Philippines and played in the MPBL.
‘Basketball is my favorite sport. I love it very much. It’s my life. I want to end by promising to everyone here and all the PBA fans everywhere that from here on, I will do my best and give my all in every game, and that you can all expect a more seasoned player,’ he said.
‘The PBA for me is family, the PBA for me is home.’
Slaughter’s PBA rights remain with the now-Titan Ultra Giant Risers.