Quiambao eyes NBA, KBL stints

Is the National Basketball Association (NBA) part of Kevin Quiambao’s plan?

Well, that seems to be the case as Quiambao mentioned the possibility of playing in the NBA when he penned his farewell to De La Salle University following a heartbreaking loss in the finals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament late Sunday.

The versatile forward expressed his gratitude to Green Archers coach Topex Robinson and team manager Mans Carpio, Raffy Villavicencio and Terry Capistrano for their unwavering support and trust in him.

He also thanked his teammates for believing in him and supporting him as he embarks on the next chapter of his basketball career.

He said he is looking forward to chasing his professional dream starting with a stint with the Goyang Sono Skygunners in the Korean Basketball League and — possibly — the NBA.

“A lot of sweat, tears, and sacrifices, thank you for making me a great student-athlete. To my teammates, the whole coaching staff, and management, I can’t thank you enough for your unwavering support. Thank you for believing in me and pushing me to reach my potential. I am so grateful and blessed to have you guys,” said Quiambao in a statement posted on social media on Monday morning.

“With that being said, my college career comes to an end, I will pursue my NBA dream and start my journey by professional ball with the Goyang Sono Skygunners and develop my game even more.”

The NBA has been unfamiliar territory for homegrown Filipinos.

The closest a pureblooded Filipino ever got to the NBA was when 7-foot-4 Kai Sotto was invited to be part of the Orlando Magic in the NBA Summer League in 2023. He was also part of the Adelaide 36ers team that played against the Phoenix Suns in an NBA preseason game in 2022.

Although Sotto put up decent numbers, he still failed to land an NBA roster spot, prompting him to go to Japan to further develop his game in the B.League.

But Quiambao, a sweet-shooting 6-foot-4 forward, is determined to break through by gaining experience against elite competition in the Korean Basketball League, where he reportedly already signed a contract.

Quiambao said his three years with the Green Archers were truly memorable.

Although the Green Archers failed to make it to the Final Four in his first year in the league, he still made an impact as he emerged as Rookie of the Year.

The following year, he led the Green Archers to the title over the Fighting Maroons until falling short this year, a campaign that was punctuated by a heartbreaking 62-66 setback in Game 3 late Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Still, Quiambao asserted that he will be leaving La Salle with a grateful heart.

“Thank you for three wonderful seasons, a lot of sweat, tears and sacrifices,” he said.

“Thank you for making me a great student-athlete.”