Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala Giles agreement play for the Philippines is the first major step in acquiring a long-sought naturalised player to lead the Philippines.

Giles, 23, is receiving $15,000 (£9,000) a month but with bonuses that could rise as high as $180,000 (£109,000).

Eala has been enthusiastic about SBP’s plans to gain Giles citizenship as part of its ambitious project to qualify in the 2012 London Olympics.

He said: “We’re really excited to have CJ in the line-up.

"It’s one of the ingredients that will give [the Philippines] a better shot at an Olympic slot in London."

The SBP is now in the process of seeking political help to speed up the naturalisation of Giles, who played with the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oregon State Beavers during his college years.

The 6ft 10in American is still in the United States after attending the NBA Summer League recently playing for the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 7.2 points and 7.0 rebounds.

But he is expected to arrive in the Philippines on September 1 and start practicing with Serbian coach Rajko Toroman and the rest of the team.

The SBP, according to Eala, has the option to extend Giles’ contract depending on how he performs.

Aside from the monthly salary, part of the multi-million contract also includes a house and a car along with accommodiation for his brother and three-year-old son.

Giles, who was not selected during the 2008 NBA Draft, first made an impression when he reinforced the Smart Gilas team in the recent FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in Jakarta, where the Nationals made the quarterfinals and eventually finished fifth overall.

Ella said that Giles would be released if he earned a contract with an NBA side.

He said: "It will be prestigious to the country if he’s playing in the NBA.

"But for as long he makes himself available during critical periods, there’s no problem with us.

"CJ fits the bill.

"He is what the country needs in its road to 2012."

Several countries, according to Eala, had been recruiting Giles as possible naturalised player, including Jordan and Lebanon.

As part of its training for next year’s Asian Games, the Philippines team will be playing as a guest club in the coming 35th season of the the Philippines Basketball Association League, with Giles expected to turn out for the national team.

Aside from Giles, SBP is looking at another import, probably a European or an American player, to undergo naturalisation.

Eala said: "We’re not limiting ourselves to only one [import].

"We need at least two just in case Giles would not be available."

The Philippines last qualified for the Olympic basketball tournament at Munich in 1972 and must finish among the top three in the 2011 FIBA-Asian Championships if they are to make it to London.

China and Iran are the favorites to land the two seats in the 2011 Olympic qualifying while the last slot is expected to be a battle between Lebanon, Jordan, Japan, Korea, Qatar and the Philippines.