Dylan and Ron Harper Jr. are ineligible to play for Gilas Pilipinas as local players, as both players were unable to obtain Philippine passports before turning 18.
Despite the hopes of many Filipino fans, Dylan Harper is ineligible to play for Gilas Pilipinas as a local player.
Position
SG
Age
20
Height
196 cm
Weight
98 kg
Birth place
New Jersey, United States of America
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy announced that the San Antonio Spurs sensation, along with his older brother Ron Harper Jr., can only play as naturalized players for the Philippine national basketball team.
Both players were unable to get Philippine passports before they turned 18.
“To begin with, I don’t believe Dylan has a passport already,” Dy said, via GMA Sports.
“Although they have reached out I think two years ago when Coach Norman [Black] and I were in Las Vegas asking about eligibility. But he was already 18, 19 [years old] at that time and they didn’t have passports yet.”
Dylan, Ron Harper Jr., not eligible to play as Gilas Pilipinas local players
Dylan and Ron Harper Jr., sons of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, have Filipino heritage through their mother, Maria Pizarro.
Dylan seized the spotlight as the rising star of the San Antonio Spurs. The No. 2 overall pick of last year’s NBA Draft, Harper helped the Victor Wembanyama-led squad to a meteoric 62-win season and an astonishing run all the way to the 2026 NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, Ron Jr. stands as a key role player for the Celtics, who recently inked a three-year, $9 million extension with the franchise this offseason.
“Definitely, the brothers won’t be eligible as a local if they play for Gilas,” Dy added.
Player naturalization has been a hot topic in Philippine basketball for years. Gilas Pilipinas initially hoped that Jordan Clarkson would be allowed to play as a local player on the international stage, but FIBA ultimately ruled that the NBA veteran is classified as a naturalized player.
A national team can only include one naturalized player on its 12-man roster for any FIBA-sanctioned tournament.
The Philippines recently finished 3rd place in Group A of the first round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers with a 2–4 win-loss record, behind undefeated Australia (6–0) and New Zealand (4–2).
The Filipinos will play two crucial games on their home turf for Window 4 of the tournament to open up their second round in Group E, hosting Jordan (Aug. 28) and playing Iran (Aug. 30).
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