Minnesota Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards has charmed Filipino fans with a custom barong tagalog on his tour of Manila.
The athlete received a warm welcome from locals during the Adidas-backed ‘Believe That’ Tour last week as the Philippine leg was held at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Piña barong for Edwards
The four-time NBA All-Star wore a customised piña barong designed by Filipino couturier RJ Santos in a photoshoot with several Filipino basketball legends.
Santos designed the barong under his local brand Randolf.
Edwards’ barong moreover had a personalised touch as it was not only adorned with his jersey number, five, but also featured elements of his American roots in the design, such as the Georgia peach – a popular fruit in his home state.
The barong boasted an Atlanta Braves logo as well, referring to the baller’s love for baseball.
Saturday’s photoshoot, meanwhile, included Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) icons Tim Cone, Norman Black, James Yap, Johnny Abarrientos, Sean Chambers, Larry Fonacier, Atoy Co, Asi Taulava, Allan Caidic and Jeff Chan.
Star’s growing Filipino fanbase
Aside from bumping shoulders with PBA basketball idols, Edwards met what has been a growing Filipino fanbase since his entry into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2020.
Several local fans even brought their Edwards sneakers and jerseys to try and have them signed by the Timberwolves star.
“The love is unreal and unmatched, and I want to bring that energy back, for sure,” said Edwards while speaking to the crowd.
“I’ve never dreamed of a moment like this, so this is a blessing for sure.”
When asked if he will come back to the Philippines soon, Edwards replied: “Believe that.”
Edwards, who was the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, memorably helped Team USA capture the Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
He then recently won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
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