FITTING RECOGNITION: ‘Greatest’ inclusion fires up Thompson ahead of Phl Cup

Scottie Thompson believes he still has a lot to prove after being named as the youngest member of the 50 Greatest Players of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

During the renewal of his contract with ArenaPlus last Thursday, the do-it-all Barangay Ginebra guard admitted that there’s a lot of pressure for him to work hard after being mentioned in same breath with the giants of the game like Sonny Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Mark Caguioa and Jimmy Alapag.

He made it to the elite list after winning the Most Valuable Player plum in 2021 on top of seven PBA titles with the Kings, two Best Player of the Conference awards and two Finals MVP citations.

Thompson and the nine other newest members of the honor roll will be formally introduced in a special celebration of the league’s golden anniversary on 11 April at the Solaire Resort North in Quezon City.

“I’m blessed to be included in that list. We all know not everyone gets this kind of opportunity and there are a lot of deserving players,” Thompson said.

“I’m still young in my career. I still need to work harder because there are still a lot more opportunities for me, not just inside the court but also in life.”

“This honor is a testament to my hard work because of how difficult it was for me to get to where I am today.”

Joining Thompson in the contract-signing with the 24/7 sports entertainment gateway in the country are teammates RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee, who is facing a major challenge after flunking yet another drug test following his stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers last February.

An ArenaPlus endorser since 2023, Thompson feels at home as it resonates with the values of Ginebra.

“We’re like a family here at ArenaPlus. Their ‘Astig’ slogan lines up with our ‘never say die’ spirit at Ginebra,” he said.

“ArenaPlus has been loyal to me. So, I told Justin and RJ to be loyal to them as well.”

Thompson and the Kings are coming off a heartbreaking finish in the recent Commissioner’s Cup as they bowed to TNT Tropang Giga in a seven-game series — the deciding game even going to overtime.

The 6-foot-1 rebounding guard, however, emerged as the top local player for Ginebra as he averaged 14 points, 9.57 rebounds, and 5.57 assists during the series that went the distance.

Brownlee lauded his teammate’s recent achievement and his work ethic that made him a household name in the PBA.

“I think it’s well-deserved. Most of the time, he’s the first guy in the gym and the last one to leave. In his size, he plays like he’s seven-foot tall,” said Brownlee, who has been the Kings’ resident import since 2016.

“It’s truly been an honor to be your teammate.”

For Abarrientos, he is humbled to have Thompson as his teammate during his rookie season in the PBA.

“I’m just blessed to team up with Kuya Scottie in Ginebra. He’s one of the hardest-working guys on the team,” Abarrientos said.

“I have nothing to say. He’s an inspiration not only to his family but also to the youth.”