The Macau Black Knights, since rebranded as the Giant Pandas, will be back for anothe go-round in the PBA, this time in the season-ending Governors’ Cup. This will mark the fourth time in the past few years the Asia’s oldest pay-for-play league will welcome a guest team, with Macau first getting the chance to play in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Yes, that’s right. Over the past few years, the PBA has allowed guests teams from Asia to compete—and with the opportunity to actually be hailed as champions no less. Before Macau, the Bay Area Dragons came here first, back in the 2022–23, followed by Hong Kong Eastern in the next season. Then, for Season 50, Macau joined in on the fun last conference and has signed up for one more.
But before the Giant Pandas begin their second PBA stint as an Asian guest team, let’s take a look first at how Bay Area, Hong Kong Eastern, and Macau fared in their respective PBA campaigns.
2022–23 PBA Commissioner’s Cup: Bay Area Dragons
During the 47th season of the PBA, the league introduced the Bay Area Dragons as an Asian guest team eligible to compete for the championship.
The Dragons, who came from the EASL featured a roster composed mostly of players from Chinese Taipei, along with reinforcements from China, Canada, Australia, and the United States.
In the elimination round, Bay Area topped the standings with a 10–2 record. Throughout the conference, the team alternated between imports Myles Powell and Andrew Nicholson.
The 6-foot-2 Powell provided explosive outside scoring and instant offense, while the 6-foot-10 Nicholson anchored the interior with his scoring presence and rebounding ability.
Under head coach Brian Goorjian, the former mentor of the Australian men’s national basketball team, the Dragons stormed into the Finals after suffering just one loss in the playoffs.
Against crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the best-of-seven championship series turned into a thrilling showdown. The Finals even saw Powell, who had remained unbeaten throughout the elimination round and playoffs, absorb his first loss on the PBA’s biggest stage.
Game 7 was eventually held at the Philippine Arena, where Ginebra ultimately captured the championship in front of a record crowd of over 54,000.
Despite falling short of their title aspirations, the Dragons earned the admiration of many fans for their talent, shooting, and chemistry. It’s just unfortunate that the team disbanded in September 2023.
2024–25 Commissioner’s Cup: Hong Kong Eastern
Not long after, the PBA welcomed another Asian guest team into the Commissioner’s Cup in November 2024 with the entry of Hong Kong Eastern.
Representing the A1 Division of the Hong Kong Basketball League, Hong Kong Eastern featured several former Bay Area Dragons players on its roster. Having already experienced the intensity of the PBA, Kobey Lam, Hayden Blankley, and Glen Yang emerged as key contributors for the squad.
The team finished the elimination round with a respectable 7–5 record, enough to secure the seventh seed in the playoffs. However, their campaign was far less dominant compared to the impressive run previously put together by the Bay Area Dragons.
Hong Kong Eastern also had to deal with adversity midway through the conference after import Cameron Clark suffered an injury. The team was then forced to bring in 6-foot-10 reinforcement Chris McLaughlin as his replacement.
Their campaign eventually came to an end in the quarterfinals after losing to eventual champion TNT Tropang Giga.
The early exit was not necessarily due to a lack of talent or experience. During their PBA stint, Hong Kong Eastern also had to juggle games in the Hong Kong domestic league and the EASL.
Although the team showed flashes of potential throughout the conference, competing in three different leagues eventually took a physical toll on the players, proving to be their biggest challenge.
2026 Commissioner’s Cup: Macau Black Knights
With many fans expecting either the Bay Area Dragons or Hong Kong Eastern to return to the PBA, the league instead introduced another Asian guest squad in the form of the Macau Black Knights.
Among the team’s notable players was Ramon Cao, the lone former Hong Kong Eastern player given another opportunity to compete in the Philippines. Their import, Tony Mitchell, was also no stranger to the PBA, having previously suited up as a reinforcement for the Star Hotshots and the NLEX Road Warriors.
However, unlike the previous Asian guest teams that quickly captured the attention of fans, the Black Knights struggled right from the start, opening their campaign with a five-game losing streak.
Following an 0–3 start, the team decided to part ways with head coach Garrett Kelly and replaced him with Marcus Elliott. The squad also dealt with internal issues, as leading scorer Damian Chong Qui notably walked out during halftime of one game for undisclosed reasons.
Macau ultimately failed to qualify for the postseason, finishing the conference with just three wins against nine losses.
Success or Struggle?
While the idea initially appeared promising—and the Bay Area Dragons’ runner-up finish certainly validated the league’s decision—the overall success of having Asian guest teams in the Philippine Basketball Association has become more difficult to measure over time.
As the years passed, the level of competition displayed by these foreign squads seemingly declined, making it feel less like a true challenge for the local teams compared to when the concept was first introduced.
So, should another Asian guest team participate in any reinforced conference again? The answer could be both yes and no.
Yes, because it gives fans an opportunity to witness international talent and compare the Philippine style of basketball with that of neighboring countries. It also provides a wider perspective on where Philippine basketball currently stands in the Asian landscape.
On the other hand, the answer could also be no, especially considering that some of the recent guest teams failed to live up to the expectations of both fans and fellow competitors. Perhaps the league may eventually need to explore different options—possibly inviting teams from Europe, the United States, or even Africa in the future.
Regardless, bringing in a guest team should only be good for the league, as it will almost always attract attention, both from local fans and fans from the team being brought over. However, the PBA must make sure that any guest team it plans to invite will come in not only to participate, but also to win it all to guarantee a high level of competitiveness.
