Despite the unbelievably awkward opening ceremonies between Saturday evening's two games, it was nice to welcome professional basketball back to Taiwan. Before I talk about the games and the players, I first need to mention the event that to me summed up all that is wrong with the SBL, but also all the potential of the league. During the aforementioned awkwardness between the two games the Master of Ceremonies was sporting a Lakers' championship shirt. Taiwan loves the Lakers. So much so that a person kicking off the new season stands at center court wearing their shirt, and not a SBL shirt. For a league that is not financially strong, and has a little to no brand appeal, you would think they would use every opportunity to promote their teams or their league. Taiwanese love basketball, but it seems too often that love is projected across the Pacific to their favorite NBA teams. Enough with the rant, time for the action! My thoughts from the first five games in no particular order.

• I would predict at least two teams will be switching out their imports at some point this season based on the first five games. Marcus Dove looks to be the best player of the six imports, and with the highest salary this makes sense.
  
• Rashad Jones-Jennings had the most Jeykll & Hyde performances I have ever seen. Game 1 he failed to score and grabbed 11 rebounds. He was contained by Dove and looked like he did not know what his team wanted/needed from him. Game 2 he exploded for 18 points and 22 rebounds in a win over KKL and looked like a more athletic and skilled version of Byron Allen from last year's Dacin team. If the later is the performance we are going to see from here on out Pure Youth made a great choice bringing him in at the last minute. But perhaps the best news for Pure Youth is their 2-0 start.
  
• Tseng Wen-Ting is the standard to which all imports in the league need to be measured. In Yulon's first game Tseng contained Keith Gayden to 7 and 8 while going for 19 and 13 and 7 blocks. In his second game he held Dove to 6 of 21 shooting while recording 14, 4, and 6 blocks of his own. If an import can win the duel with Tseng he is definitely a keeper.
• On the subject of Yulon. Why would they continue to not hire a foreign import? In two games this year I have noticed that a penetrating point guard could really help them out. For a little bit of money they could all but guarantee themselves of a championship.
• Lastly, after the Taiwan Beer and Bank of Taiwan game I was left a little confused. Is TB that good, or is B of T really that bad? I look forward to seeing Emmanuel Jones play in a game