JAPETH AGUILAR

Games on Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
5:00 p.m. — Alaska vs Barako Bull
7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs San Miguel

In what may appear like much ado about nothing, Burger King officials said on Monday that their No. 1 overall pick Japeth Aguilar will no longer be part of the team and will be traded first to Barako Bull which will then ship the player to Talk ‘N Text which then will release the player to the Smart-Gilas team.

Sources said Burger King team manager Lito Alvarez, who threatened to ban Aguilar for life in the PBA if he doesn’t sign with his team, announced to his players that the 6-10 former Western Kentucky standout had played his last game with the PBA team, just one day after Aguilar reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Whopper.

Burger King coach Yeng Guiao confirmed yesterday that indeed, he and his team had been told of Aguilar’s departure, signalling an end to a protracted struggle for the young player’s services and leaving many to wonder what the hullabaloo over his signing was all about.

It could not be determined yet what or who Burger King will get in exchange for Aguilar who could be an asset for the Whopper considering how badly the team needs a tall and talented player.

“They are still trying to figure out what Burger will get in return,” said a person close to Aguilar who requested that he not be identified. He said it was a “team-to-team” transaction and he was not allowed to give details.

The temporary transfer to Barako Bull is being applied to circumvent a PBA rule that prohibits transfers between sister teams. Burger King is partly owned by Talk ‘N Text’s top honcho Manuel Pangilinan, who also is president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas which bankrolls Smart-Gilas.

Japeth is expected to suit up for the Gilas team when it makes its debut in the PBA conference where it is a guest team, on Friday, significantly against Burger King.

With the departure of Aguilar, the PBA may have missed a golden opportunity to have in its fold a future superstar. This has also led many to wonder why after fighting so hard to have Aguilar signed on, Burger King appeared so eager to release him.

The 6-foot-10 Aguilar had 10 points, nine rebounds in 24 minutes of action in an 80-93 defeat to the Giants in last Sunday’s PBA opener.

“There’s already a special arrangement with Smart-Gilas,” said a source. “What’s important is that no PBA rule was violated as far as Aguilar’s transfer is concerned.”

“We have made it clear to Talk ’N Text and to any team interested in Japeth that his priority is to play for Smart-Gilas, that’s his father’s (ex-pro Peter Aguilar) commitment, that’s Japeth’s commitment,” Aguilar’s agent Ronnie Nathanielsz said last Monday.

Meantime, SBP executive director Noli Eala said yesterday that they are close to signing Ateneo’s Rabeh Al-Hussaini, the 2009 UAAP Finals Most Valuable Player who helped the Blue Eagles to back-to-back championships last week.

“We are close to coming to terms with Rabeh. He will start practicing with the team on Tuesday (today),” Eala said.

Also, Eala said that the SBP is also talking to the handlers of Paul Lee, the versatile guard of University of the East, the UAAP runner-up, and that they are still waiting for the Cebu-based CESAFI season to end so that they can start negotiating with University of Cebu’s Junmar Fajardo.

“We are optimistic they (Al-Hussaini, Lee, and Fajardo) will support the national cause and Smart-Gilas,” Eala said.