THE Philippine Basketball Association officially joined the eight-team East Asia Super League (EASL), which comes off the wraps on Oct. 12, 2022 where the champion of the PBA Philippine Cup will be bracketed in Group A and the runner-up will be included in Group B.

This developed after EASL staged the drawing of lots on Tuesday afternoon at the Shangri-La Fort Manila.

The Philippine Cup champion will join newly crowned PLeague+ champion Taipei Fubon Braves, Korean Basketball League (KBL) runner-up Anyang KGC and Japan B. League runner-up Ryukyu Golden Kings in Group A.

Bracketed in Group B are the Philippine Cup runner-up, KBL champion Seoul SK Knights, Japan B. League titleist Utsonomiya Brex, and the Bay Area Dragons representing Greater China.

The Dragons will also see action as a guest squad in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. ”China, Taipei, Japan, Korea, we can give them a good game and we can also provide them quality competition,” said PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial. “It will be mutually beneficial for all the teams participating. We can also strengthen their relationship with them.”

During the draw presided by EASL co-founder and CEO Matt Beyer, Marcial was joined by members PBA Board led by Alfrancis Chua of Barangay Ginebra, who will be representing Asia’s pioneering professional basketball league in the home-and-away event, vice chairman Bobby Rosales of Terrafirma, Eric Arejola of NorthPort, and Blackwater governor Siliman Sy along with team owner Dioceldo Sy.

Also present in the draw were EASL ambassador and NBA legend Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest), KBL commissioner Kim Hee Ok and B. League chairman Shinji Shimada.

In the EASL, teams will be allowed to bring in two imports and the reinforcements of the Philippine Cup champion, and the runner-up in the second conference can beef up the squads in the first-ever home-andaway league in the East Asian region.

Since there will be two imports allowed per team, the PBA can also tap an additional reinforcement of their choice.

“It’s going to be tough,” added Marcial. “Two imports with unlimited height.”

But Marcial is more excited about the announcement made by Beyer that the championship will be held in the Philippines.

“It’s going to be big for us,” added Marcial. “It’s like staging FIBA Asia, which was previously staged here or the World Cup, which we’re going to co-host. If it’s going to be held here, then watch out for the Philippines.”

Beyer gave the rationale behind the decision to stage the championship of the event in the Philippines.

“I think that right now, the Philippines has opened up very quickly and it just makes sense,” Beyer told The Manila Times. “I came in March right after the travel was opened for no quarantines. Just to see the transition between March and now, it’s amazing. Everyone is back, they’re getting to the arenas and having fun outside again, that’s why we chose the Philippines and not to mention the great basketball here, the love for the sport. It’s a logical choice.”

A whopping $1 million will be awarded to the champion of the tournament.