Former Gilas Pilipinas Women head coach Patrick Aquino remains optimistic that Vanessa de Jesus will find a spot in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a free agent.

Aquino told DAILY TRIBUNE that the 24-year-old guard has all the tools and skills needed to thrive in one of the biggest leagues for women’s basketball.

The former Duke and Notre Dame guard went undrafted in the Annual Rookie Draft last Tuesday.

“An asset like her can be very valuable to a team. She makes other players better — not merely scoring, but making those assists and playing the best defense at her position as a point guard,” said Aquino, who now calls the shots for Blackwater in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“She’s good at defense, knows how to rotate, when to double, and everything.”

De Jesus has shown what she has to offer on a WNBA team.

She averaged 13.2 points with Gilas Women in the FIBA Asia Cup despite finishing in sixth place.

De Jesus even scored a career-high 22 points for Notre Dame last November en route to a 98-52 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.

Aquino believes even without him on the sidelines, Gilas Women will continue to evolve.

“Definitely, our talent identification is getting higher and higher. Players like her, Naomi Panganiban, Sumaya Sugapong and now emerging with Afril Bernardino is Kasey dela Rosa,” Aquino said.

“Then the young ones like Louna Ozar coming out, and especially the future of Gilas-Sofia Dignadice and Tiffany Reyes.”