Japan B. League team Hiroshima Dragonflies release Justine Baltazar

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Former De La Salle University (DLSU) superstar and member of the Gilas Pilipinas young cadet pool Justine Baltazar will no longer see action with the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the ongoing season of the 2022-2023 Japan B. League.

The Dragonflies recently made an announcement saying that Baltazar will no longer have an extended contract and is now a free basketball agent.

Moreover, the B. League franchise squad explained that although Baltazar is an all-star caliber player, the versatile power forward could not fit into their playing system.

“We would like to inform you that we have cancelled the contract of Justine Baltazar, based on mutual agreement. He has only played in eight games since opening day and we could not give him an opportunity to play,” said Hiroshima general manager Shuji Okazaki.

Seven months after leaving the country to play in Japan, Baltazar never got the break he wanted with the Dragonflies after playing for limited minutes.

Despite the decision, Baltazar is still thankful for the opportunity that the Dragonflies gave him and the support system he built during his seven-month stay.

“Thank you for cheering me on since day one. You will forever have a special place in my heart. I hope you’ll still support me and the rest of the team. God bless us all. Thank you very much,” said Baltazar.

The towering forward was supposed to enter the 2022 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft but immediately withdrew a day after as per commissioner Willie Marcial.

According to Marcial, Baltazar wrote a letter to him during the day of the workout combine and stated several reasons for his sudden withdrawal but didn’t disclose the Japan B. League matter.

Baltazar was projected to be an easy top-three pick in this year’s PBA Draft and even boosted his draft stock after finishing second during the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball Most Valuable Player race behind Ateneo Blue Eagles’ Ange Kouame.