The Iranian basketball coach has raised a ruckus over the “unli naturalized player” rules at the Asian Games (ASIAD).

Apparently, he believes that Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine national team, has crossed some nebulous line of Filipino-ness. 

In response, Gilas team patriarch Manny V. Pagilinan said the team’s naturalized citizens are very Filipino “sa isip, puso, diwa at gawa” (in mind, heart, spirit and actions) .

Not only do they excel in the Philippines’ top favorite sport, but they’ve also mastered the fine art of ordering “unli rice” at Mang Inasal, the ultimate barometer of Filipino identity. 

It seems basketball prowess and voracious rice consumption are now prerequisites for citizenship in the Philippines. No Filipino will argue against that!

(Melchor Vergara contributed to this report)