Fukushima Firebonds’ Robert Bolick.
MANILA, Philippines – Robert Bolick recently made a move to the Japanese B.League in pursuit of international experience. He expressed his curiosity about whether his skills could “translate to Japan” as the motivation for joining the Fukushima Firebonds. Bolick stated, “To be honest, it’s just because of the experience. PBA and B.League are different and I just want to try and see if my game can translate to Japan and just try out something new.” He emphasized that the decision was not financially driven but rather a desire to explore new possibilities and be able to say, “Okay, I’ve been an import in Japan” by the end of his career.
During the previous PBA Governors’ Cup, Bolick’s absence in the early games negatively impacted Northport Batang Pier’s performance, resulting in a 3-8 record and failure to make it to the playoffs. However, once Bolick joined the team, he showcased impressive statistics with averages of 21.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.
International Experience
Bolick, a product of San Beda, was initially expected to renegotiate his contract with Northport. However, he ultimately signed with Fukushima in May. He believes his international playing experience as a shooting guard will be valuable to the Firebonds. Bolick stated, “On the court, I’m just like the most experienced guard here, playing in the World Cup and internationally, so I just want to be a helping hand and share what I’ve learned from my seniors when I was a rookie in the Philippines.”
Joining Fukushima, a B2 division team in the B.League, presents challenges for Bolick as the journey towards the league’s title will be long and arduous. Nevertheless, he sees this as an opportunity to help the team progress to B1 and considers it an exciting prospect. Bolick expressed, “That’s something you won’t forget for the rest of your life, and I just wanted to take the chance.”