PHI - No hard feelings for Douthit

MANILA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - It's all about the team, not the individual.

That's the message from Philippines center Marcus Douthit, who wants to continue to play for the national team and be in the line-up at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain this summer but accepts he may no longer be first choice when it comes to taking up the lone naturalized spot national teams are allowed to have.

Andray Blatche of the Brooklyn Nets is in the process of acquiring a Philippines passport and he, not Douthit, may instead be the squad's naturalized player in Spain.

"He (Gilas coach Chot Reyes) told me last year that they're gonna look to naturalize someone else, and I said, 'Whatever is good for the country,'" said the 34-year-old Douthit.

"Hopefully, everything will be done, but at the end of the day, it's (Blatche's addition) gonna improve the team as far as practice and getting the naturalized player could help.

"I think it would be good for the country."

Douthit has been the Philippines' biggest weapon on offense in recent times but an injury kept him off the floor in the second half of the team's Semi-Final triumph over Korea at last year's FIBA Asia Championship that punched their ticket to the World Cup.

He then had to sit and watch as the Philippines fell to Iran in the title game.

If the Philippines do not take Blatche, who is currently involved in the NBA playoffs with the Nets, Douthit is still an option.

He has already been named in the preliminary squad.

Douthit says he is fully fit and able to help in the Group B games that the Philippines will play against Greece, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Croatia and Senegal, with the World Cup tipping off 30 August.

"Right now, I'm great," he said.

"I'm 100 percent and I feel good and kind of eager to play, take it day by day."

FIBA