With Letran College star Pao Javillonar wrapping up his National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) career, a couple of personalities in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) are excited to have him make the transition to the professional ranks.
Converge FiberXers assistant coach Charles Tiu said he can’t wait to team up with the 6-foot-5 big man after facing each other in the NCAA.
Javillonar was drafted 19th overall in this year’s PBA Rookie Draft last July by Converge but opted to play for Letran for one more season.
“Better with him than against him. He’s been a problem for us in the past years and even scored 30 points against us,” Tiu said.
“But I like him because he’s a tough guy. He has a lot of work to do in the PBA. He’s a small big there but he has improved in the off-season and I hope it continues so we can give him a chance.”
The FiberXers are coming off a quarterfinal finish in the PBA Governors’ Cup where they pushed San Miguel Beer to five games before getting eliminated.
Playing for Letran, Javillonar was part of the three-peat squad that dominated the NCAA from 2019 to 2022.
Also excited for Javillonar is TNT guard Rey Nambatac, who is also the assistant coach for the Knights in Season 100.
Nambatac was the first to congratulate Javillonar on his journey despite Letran missing the Final Four for the second straight year.
The newly-minted PBA champion said he motivated seniors Javillonar and Kobe Monje after showcasing their skills this season.
“When Kobe and Pao came to me, I just told them ‘Welcome to the pros’ as a way to motivate them. It told them how great they did this season and someone is bound to scout them,” Nambatac said.
“We’re bound to face each other inside the court but it’s nothing personal. At the end of the day, he’s (Javillonar) still my player.”