TNT Tropang 5G mentor Chot Reyes has risen above adversities many times over throughout his illustrious coaching career.

But the decorated coach admitted to almost giving in to the temptation of calling it quits following a scarring incident two years ago, when the country hosted the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Reyes was then calling the shots for the Jordan Clarkson-led Gilas Pilipinas.

The Philippines lost all three of its games in the first round, which relegated the squad to the classification round. Gilas would then get a 21-point beating at the hands of South Sudan.

Winless coming into its final game of the tournament against China, disappointed fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum showered Reyes with piercing jeers.           

“Last year was a year full of memories, but one memory stands out in my mind. And that was September 2, 2023, right next door,” Reyes said in his acceptance speech when he was recognized as Coach of the Year during the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Press Corps Annual Awards Night on Monday at the Novotel Manila.

“Philippines played China, and after the players were introduced, the coach was introduced, and I was roundly booed by my own home crowd. That was the deepest, darkest moment in my professional career.”

“Never mind me, I guess I’m used to it, but when I look behind me to where my family was seated, my wife and my daughter, they were in near tears,” Reyes added in a cracking voice.

“I thought at the time that I had had enough of coaching. That I didn’t deserve everything that had happened so far.”

Gilas would eventually save some measure of pride and appease the crowd with a rout of the Chinese, 96-75. Gilas finished 24th and Reyes relinquished his coaching reins to Tim Cone.

Reyes focused his attention back to the Tropang 5G where he would come close to completing a historic franchise milestone.

Back in the PBA grind, the 61-year-old Reyes steered TNT to Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup conquests in Season 49.

Behind three-time Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the Tropang 5G defeated Cone and the Justin Brownlee-bannered Barangay Ginebra in an epic back-to-back title series showdown.

Reyes has won his 11th career PBA crown, a fitting reward for not turning his back on the job he loves.

“But apparently God had other plans. I’m thankful to our management, Boss Ricky (Vargas), Boss MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan), for continuing to give me the opportunity and their trust,” he said.

“And now we’re here, who would have thought, right? The very first time I received this award was in 2002. And people ask me, what’s the difference between then and now? And I say, it’s the hair. I had jet black hair then, and now no more, it’s all white,” Reyes, a seven-time recipient of the award, quipped.

TNT failed to complete a rare grand slam in the team’s second attempt under Reyes’ watch after falling victim to the June Mar Fajardo-led San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Cup finals.

But it did not dim the sparkle of Reyes’ redemption year.

“I just want to share the three most important things that I’ve learned in my more than 30 years of coaching. The first is that it’s not about me, but it’s about we,” Reyes said as he thanked his team. 

“Because what the Coach of the Year Award represents is not individual success, but really team success.”

“The second lesson I learned is that we’re only as good as our last championship. That we have to be grateful and treasure every moment that we have. Success is never final, failure is never fatal. And I learned that on that fateful night in 2023 when I thought I was done coaching,” he added.

“Finally, I always tell my players, putting in the effort, doing extra sprints, running extra laps, being dedicated, being disciplined, is hard. But so is losing. Being unprepared, failing, that’s hard as well. And so, I always tell my players, choose your heart.”