Former Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin has lambasted a New Zealand website for running a story that he is on track to assume the mantle of head coach of the Philippine national basketball team.
"The article in NZ Hoops is very premature," Baldwin told Hawke's Bay Today after the website reported last week that Baldwin would not be returning to his old post as coach of the New Zealand national side.
Other media, such as ABN CBS News, attributed the report to NZ Hoops to speculate Baldwin was going to be the next Gilas Pilipinas coach.
"NZhoops can reveal that Baldwin has committed to a full-time role with the Philippines national side, with the American-born coach set to be unveiled as their head coach in the coming days," the website reported.
However, Baldwin said it was simply rumour mongering.
"The selection or announcement of the national coach here in the Philippines has not been made," the 55-year-old said, soon after announcing he was not returning to Hawke's Bay for a third term with the IMS Payroll Hawks team in the Bartercard National Basketball League competition next year.
"Everyone is still in the dark and the country is enthralled with the process."
The multi-NBL title-winning coach said the Philippines selectors had remained tight-lipped on the appointment.
"Everyone presumes that I am one of the candidates and many think I will be chosen because the main selector is my current employer with the club I am working with.
"However, the other coach to be considered the most serious contender is the head coach of the same team I am working with as a consultant, so it's really up in the air."
Baldwin said everyone expected an announcement but it hadn't eventuated "so now it's looking like it will be after Christmas because we are right in the middle of the playoffs now".
"At any rate, whoever the source for the NZ Hoops' article either knows more than I do or is making a guess that the website has picked up on," he said.
Baldwin has previously served as head coach of Malaysia, Lebanon and Jordan and the New Zealand team from 2001 to 2006, taking them to the country's best finish in the World Championship - a top-four placing.
Baldwin then served as a consultant for Gilas Pilipinas as well as the Talk'N Text Texters franchise team. He was considered a front runner for the Gilas post when Chot "Vincent" Reyes vacated the position.
Last month, Baldwin reportedly said it was an honour to be considered but emphasised he was channelling his energy into coaching the Texters.
"I've coached four national teams and it's always an honour," he said. "I feel very privileged to be in that position and, if it happens again, whether it was the Philippines or New Zealand or any other country, it would be a great honour to think that the basketball people of that country would ask me to head their national team."
NZ Hoops had reported with Baldwin taking the Gilas job, the position of head coach for the New Zealand team remained open.
In July last year, the Gilas team toured New Zealand to play against match-fit NBL teams, including a Hawks Invitation side after the homeboys had missed the cut to the playoffs hosted in Napier.
Baldwin also had arranged a composite team to play against the tourists, preparing for the Asian Championship, but disappointingly several NBL players did not commit to the match.
With their affiliation with the Americans during World War II, team co-ordinator David E Perez said basketball was very popular with Filipinos shooting hoops in streets.