Pinoy BasketBalista

The emergence of Filipino-American in PBA is quite complicated to what extent to be a Foreigner to be called a Fil-Am? You can check out Rob Reyes interview regarding FILILPINO FOREIGNERS [Rob Reyes on Fil Foreigner in Pinoy Sports]   The technicality to qualify a person to be called as a Fil-Am is quite complex and complicated by law and by radical social presentation. To put it into straight, these are the Fil-Ams that are 100% Pinoy but has been considered to be Fil-Am when they entered the PBA.

[check out the TOP 10 Greatest Fil-Foreigners of All Time]

NOTES: the list is about the Players that are classified as Fil-Ams or HALF-Filipino + Half-Americans but actually their ethnicity is 100% Filipino.

Denver Lopez

Born August 10, 1983 (age 31)
Los Angeles, California

Nationality Filipino / American

  Denver born in the Philippines (Caloocan City) and grew up in the State where he also studied in California State University, Fullerton.

Lopez played for Red Bull as a rookie and he averaged 9.7 points per game and 2.2 assists per game. He also played for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2005-06 PBA season. After three seasons with Rain or Shine, he retired in 2009 because of career-long injuries.
Born September 2, 1980 (age 34)

Ryan Reyes

Born August 10, 1983 (age 31)
Los Angeles, California

Nationality Filipino - American

  Technically by law he's an American Citizen but Ryan Reyes both parents are pure Filipino. Like other Fil-Ams, Reyes grew up in the State and studied.

rior to his current PBA career, Reyes also saw action in the National Basketball Conference (NBC) and played for the Cebuana Lhuillier-sponsored national team in 2005. He was named the Fantastic Freshman during the PBL's 2007 Conference awards. In August 2007, while studying in the United States, Ryan had to decide whether to finish his last semester of Kinesiology studies at California State-Fullerton or go to the Philippines and apply for the PBA draft. He chose the latter and was drafted third overall by the Sta. Lucia Realtors. Ryan was one of the few pure point guards in the 2007 PBA Draft. His great size, athletic ability, solid perimeter shooting, driving skills, general court vision, defensive instincts, ball handling, and confidence in his abilities made him stand out from the other point guards.

Alex Cabagnot

Born December 8, 1982 (age 31)
Quezon City, Philippines

Nationality Filipino

  He was born in Quezon City Philippines and both his parents are Filipino so technically he's a pure blood Filipino who grew up in US.
Alex once had a rivalry with Mark Caguioa for of the Eagle Rock High School scoring record.
He is considered as one of the smartest and skillful point guard of his generation.

On February 18, 2014, he was part of a complex four-team, seven player trade which sent him to GlobalPort. With his new team, he reunites with old teammate Jay Washington and is expected to provide veteran leadership.[2]

Jeffrey Cariaso

Born September 12, 1972 (age 42)
San Francisco, California

Nationality Filipino

  Jeffrey is also known Fil-Am in the 90's before the emergence of the  Fil-Shams. Everyone knows he's a Filipino by heart and can speaks Tagalog fluently. Technically by law he's an American but by race he's Filipino because both his parents are Filipino.

He was first drafted by the Alaska Aces (then known as the Alaska Milkmen) during the 1995 PBA draft as the sixth overall. During his rookie year, he won the Rookie of the Year Award. And in only his second year in the league, he achieved a rare Grand Slam with the Aces where he was instrumental in that majestic championship run.

Jimmy Alapag

Born December 30, 1977 (age 36)
San Bernardino, California

Nationality Filipino

  Jimmy is another Fil-Am who's born in US but both of his parents are Filipino.   Jimmy's parents are Filipino immigrants Crispin and Aurora Alapag. He's the youngest of six siblings. He considers his father and elder brother Crispin Jr. as his greatest influence in basketball.

Alapag was selected 10th overall pick in 2003 by Talk 'N Text Phone Pals and was considered the "steal of the draft" in that year. Later on, Alapag formed a dynamic duo with the behemoth and giant Asi Taulava, to lead the phone pals into the All-Filipino Cup Championship and beating the Coca Cola Tigers in the finals. The Talk 'N Text overcame the 0-2 deficit of the Tigers by winning 4 straight and capture its first ever title. 

JayJay Helterbrand

Born October 14, 1976 (age 38)
Novaliches Quezon City, Philippines

Nationality Filipino

   Don't get confused with his surname, Jayjayy is a 100% Filipino. He got his surname from his step-father where his mom had a second marriage to an Amercian and adopted him. Jayjay grow up in the State when they migrated and he was just 6yrs old then later went back to Philippines.
Helterbrand was born in Quezon City to Lamberto Heras Vicente and Melanie Jimenez Romero. The name on his birth certificate was Lamberto Romero Vicente, Jr. His father later died, and his mother took him along with his brother Francis and sister Rowena to the US when he was six. His mother remarried a US serviceman Ronald Helterbrand and changed his name to Anthony Helterbrand in 1986 at the age of 10.

Mark Caguioa

Born November 19, 1979 (age 35)
San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines

Nationality Filipino

   Mark started his childhood in the Philippines where he started to learn to play Basketball but then later his family migrated to US where he grew up and studied. 
In 2001, Caguioa was drafted by Barangay Ginebra Kings as third overall pick. Expectations were not high as Caguioa started as a role player and reliever to superstar but aging Vergel Meneses. However, after showing strong performances and leading the Kings to the 2001 All-Filipino finals, he became very popular. With his killer cross-overs, slashing drives to the basket, and penchant for making clutch plays, Caguioa earned the respect and admiration of the Filipino basketball fans. His exciting brand of play earned him the moniker "The Spark." At the end of his first season, Caguioa was the third Ginebra player since Dondon Ampalayo in 1986 and Marlou Aquino in 1996 to win the Rookie of the Year award. He recently won the Most Coveted MVP plum last conference topping Gary David to bag the prestigious award.