FACT CHECK: Rhenz Abando not joining Golden State Warriors

Claim: Gilas Pilipinas player Rhenz Abando has signed a contract to play for the San Francisco-based NBA team Golden State Warriors (GSW). 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim began circulating after Abando’s exceptional performance in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. A Facebook video posted on September 7 has 1,900 views, 13 shares, and 16 reactions as of writing.

Similar claims are also spreading on YouTube, with one video garnering 534,000 views and 4,400 likes. 

The bottom line: There are no reports from reputable sources and news organizations confirming Abando’s supposed contract signing with GSW. The video only shows highlights of Abando’s playing for the University of Santo Tomas in University Athletic Association of the Philippines games. (READ: Abando hopes Gilas Pilipinas win vs China soothes fans’ pain of past heartbreaks)

On September 7, Abando posted an Instagram story on his official and verified account with the text “fake news” against a yellow background, GSW’s official team color.

FIBA World Cup:  Despite the limited court time, Abando made crucial defensive efforts and had a noticeable impact on the Gilas game, which saw the Philippines win against rival China during the FIBA World Cup game on September 2.

After the group and classification round, Abando leads the top 5 blockers in the guard position with 1.2 blocks per game, tied with Tyrese Haliburton of the US.

Rappler has published a fact check article involving another Filipino player, debunking a claim regarding Kai Sotto supposedly joining the 2021 NBA draft. – Owenh Jake Toledo/Rappler.com

Owenh Jake Toledo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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