Tab Baldwin says he has 'no offer from anybody' amid rumored potential NZ return

Tab Baldwin is staying put with Ateneo until next year amid a rumored interest in coaching New Zealand again. Dennis Acosta

By Jonathan Salvacion

QUEZON CITY--Former Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin denied a report from New Zealand that he once again applied for the Tall Blacks coaching job.

When asked about the rumor from down under right after the UAAP college basketball press conference on Wednesday at the Novotel Grand Ballroom, the current Ateneo gaffer said, "[I have] no offer from anybody."

He then insisted that his contract as Blue Eagles head coach would run until 2025, assuring fans that he would continue coaching the team until Season 88.

The American-Kiwi mentor then reacted to how everyone treated a report from The Post's Marc Hinton that he "is among an array of quality contenders for the position."

"You are trying to drum a story up out of nothing," said Baldwin, who led New Zealand to a fourth-place finish in the 2002 FIBA World Cup.

"Anytime there's a coaching change in a place as significant as a national team in New Zealand, people speculate."

Meanwhile, as talks continued to swirl about his future in Ateneo especially when the Tall Blacks rumor came up, Baldwin said that it would depend on how the university's community and chief backer Manny Pangilinan assess the team's campaign this UAAP Season 87.

"That's up to Ateneo, it's up to Boss MVP. maybe it's up to how we do this year," Baldwin further said.

After Baldwin led the Blue Eagles to their last four championships within a six-season span from 2017-2022, there are now questions if they could even make the Final Four this year.

While having a very young team for UAAP Season 87, Baldwin believes that this year's team will bring in the same competitiveness that Ateneo brings to the league.

"Our team is very young, but I really believe that they’re going to be competitive," he said.

The Blue Eagles will open their campaign for their 13th UAAP title against this year's hosts, the UP Fighting Maroons on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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