Marinduque boy chasing PBA dream

A forward from Marinduque is dreaming of becoming the next Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) superstar.

AJ Madrigal, a 26-year-old proud son of Boac, joined 121 other players who aim to be part of the PBA when the league holds its Annual Rookie Draft on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.

Despite not making any pre-draft noise, Madrigal is expected to become a draft sleeper after getting some serious considerations from coaches, scouts and talent evaluators.

The 6-foot-3 former University of the Philippines (UP) stalwart is a reliable swingman who is known to have a good perimeter game and solid defense that can stop the best scorer of the opposing team.

After his college stint in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, he played briefly for the Quezon Huskers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League before joining the NorthPort Batang Pier that competed in the Philippine Basketball Association 3x3 tourney.

He made a return to the MPBL to join the Iloilo United Royals, where he displayed his energy, consistency and perimeter defense.

But whether he gets drafted or not, Madrigal will forever be proud of his roots.

“Actually, I’m having mixed emotions. Of course, I’m quite nervous because of the uncertainty of this draft. I’m not sure if I’ll get picked,” Madrigal told DAILY TRIBUNE in a conversation.

“But at the same time, I’m happy because since I started playing basketball, making it to the PBA has been my dream.”

Madrigal said his father, Aldrin, played a key role in his development as a basketball player.

“I remember that whenever I’m in Manila, my dad will always bring me to Smart Araneta Coliseum to watch the PBA. After that, we will stay at the Players Exit to wait and have our pictures taken with the PBA stars. That experience inspired me to work harder to chase my dream.”

Due to the quality of talents in the pool, Madrigal is not expected to be selected in the first round. But with his solid performance in the PBA Draft Combine topped with the experience he gained and a lot of prayers, he could merit some serious attention, prompting teams to pick him before the draft night comes to a close.

“Not everybody is given an opportunity to join the PBA draft,” he added.

“For me, the experience of being here is already a blessing and it motivates me even more to keep working hard and be ready for any chances that come my way.”