Filipino-American combo guard Sedrick Barefield considers traveling to different countries overseas to play basketball a blessing, no matter how far he is from his family and how taxing the duty gets at times.

"That’s how I look at it, being able to travel the world, doing what I love and seeing beautiful places," Barefield told ABS-CBN Sports in a 1-on-1 interview.

"There are times you get homesick, because it’s tough being away from your family sometimes, but ultimately, it tests your love for the game. That’s what I found out. I love basketball."

Originally from Corona, California, Barefield averaged 12.03 points, 2.16 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.84 steals, and 35.4 percent from three-point land in his final year with US NCAA Division I team Utah Utes back in 2018.

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Since then, he has made his mark professionally, with stints for clubs in Lithuania, Greece, the United States for NBA G-League side Oklahoma City Blue, and most recently, the Taipei Fubon Braves and Tainan TSG GhostHawks in Taiwan.

A capable scorer and proven talent, Barefield has often been included in Fil-Am conversations along with the likes of Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson and former Kansas Jayhawks guard Remy Martin -- and he does his best to embrace the hype.

"I just try to focus on being me. Obviously, they are great basketball players and to be mentioned along those guys, it’s definitely cool. Hope I can continue to grow and have some longevity in this game and hope to play at a high level for a great amount of time," the 26-year-old said.

"I’m somebody who’s multi-dimensional, makes plays for myself and my teammates, hopefully, just play winning basketball, a little bit of flair and creativity, a little bit of that."

For the next chapter in his basketball journey, he chose to sign with the Hong Kong-based Bay Area Dragons, who announced his addition to their lineup last week, to be their Asian import for the upcoming East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions Week in March.

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The decision to stay physically close to the Philippines, the 6-foot-2 guard says, is integral; the Dragons stay in the country, using it as their de facto "homecourt." Just being around might serve Barefield well for his next career move.

"I’m definitely open to play in the PBA in the future," he admitted. "That’s something I want to check off my bucket list, for sure."

Last year, Barefield threw his name into the 2022 PBA Draft pool, although his application did not push through. He had all his paperwork done, and had his passport ready, but because the league wanted everything "on hand" at the time, Barefield had to seek other plans.

"It wasn't going to get to Manila until a week after the draft, that's why my application got denied," he shared. "It was tough because I was coming off a hand injury. My plan was going to the PBA; I was turning down a lot of jobs in Europe because I wanted to play in the PBA. My application did not go through."

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Not making the PBA in 2022 was not what Barefield had originally intended for himself, but it also allowed him to recalibrate and make the most out of the crossroads.

Barefield joined the Charles Tiu-coached Strong Group Realty in January, giving him his first taste of Filipino basketball while also getting to represent the country in OFW-rich Dubai.

"It’s an amazing opportunity. Opportunity of a lifetime. I (just looked forward) to it, had fun, and soaked it all in," Barefield recalled.

"Any time you’re around a culture that loves the game, loves to compete, it’s amazing. The basketball culture here is better than in any place I’ve been. It's a lot of fun. It was a humbling experience. (I thank) Coach Charles for putting the team together and bringing us all in. Definitely, it’s an experience I will remember for a lifetime."

Barefield revealed that he has visited the Philippines twice since last year prior to his Strong Group stint, hoping to make a solid connection here. Fortunately, he was able to reintroduce himself to the ever-growing Asian basketball ecosystem with Strong Group, where he averaged 15.6 points in their victories.

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With things seemingly starting to fall into place now, he hopes to make an impact for head coach Brian Goorjian's group.

"It’s been great, I got here right after Dubai and got straight to practice. Playing with a team that knows how to play together, they’ve had a lot of success throughout the year, they’re a well-oiled machine and I just come in and do my best and try to help, add value to the team," he said.

In a way, Barefield's stint with the recent PBA Commissioner's Cup runners-up is not only a chance to carve out a niche on this part of the globe; after learning more about the basketball culture in the Philippines, it's also a platform for him to represent his roots. He is ready to see where it goes from here.

"My mom is Filipino, my grandparents are from here, it’s definitely an honor to be here no matter what way I represent my family and Filipino basketball," he said.

"The energy is great. The hospitality is amazing. They welcome me and my people with open arms. There are no complaints at all."

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