Paras hits ground running

I just went to the States in 2015 so I don’t see any difference between here and abroad

KOBE Paras plays like a veteran for UP. david john cubangbang

Kobe Paras doesn’t need any honeymoon period as he powered University of the Philippines (UP) in his first two games in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

The son of a former UP great in Benjie Paras averaged 22.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in his first two games for the Fighting Maroons, who claimed their third win in four games following a thrilling 80-79 win over National University Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

But Paras’ journey back to local basketball scene is one for the books.

After suiting up for La Salle Greenhills in high school, the high-leaping swingman chased his dream of becoming the first Filipino in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by enrolling at Cathedral High School and Middlebrooks Academy in Los Angeles.

There, he landed an invite to join the University of California in Los Angeles, a prestigious school that produced quality NBA talents like Reggie Miller, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Jrue Holiday.

Unfortunately, he failed to meet academic requirements, prompting him to transfer to Creighton, where he appeared in only 15 games.

He was supposed to transfer again to California State Northridge, but his chief recruiter in Regie Theus was fired heading into the season.

That’s the time he decided to go back to Manila.

“I was born and raised here. Philippine basketball is physical, but I grew up with it so I can’t really find any difference from the international game,” the 21-year-old Paras said, adding that he knows Philippine basketball so well that he doesn’t need any transition period.

“I just went to the States in 2015 so I don’t see any difference between here and abroad.”

The last time UP won a title was in 1987 when Benjie was still serving as its center of attention.

Paras said it may not be easy, but he is willing to match — or even surpass – the golden feat achieved by his father, who goes down to the annals of Philippine basketball as the only rookie to win the Most Valuable Player award in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“If you have seen the season way past behind them, they haven’t won a championship,” Paras said.