FORMER University of the East standout Alvin Pasaol had found a niche playing in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 league.
So, opting to join the PBA draft was never an easy decision.
“Sa akin sobrang nahirapan ako kasi siyempre napamahal na sa akin iyong Chooks and lahat ng 3×3 players. Sobrang hirap sa akin kasi iyong desisyon na iyon is sobrang laking desisyon kung saan talaga ako mapupunta,” Pasaol said in an episode of Tiebreaker Times’ The Prospects Pod.
“So, siguro mas pinili ko iyong dream ng family ko na pumunta sa PBA so iyon iyong ia-achieve ko muna, iyong PBA,” he added.
The 6-foot-3 Pasaol suited up for the Red Warriors from 2016 to 2018 where he once scored 49 points in 2017 against La Salle.
The burly but prolific Pasaol also played for Petron-Letran and Marinerong Pilipino in the PBA D-League and for Family’s Brand Sardines-Zamboanga City in the MPBL.
He won a title with Family’s Brand Sardines-Zamboanga City in the maiden season of the Chooks-to-Go tilt in October last year and saw action in the Doha World Tour Masters last November.
Pasaol is also set to play for the country as a member of the national 3×3 side in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Graz, Austria in May.
A Davao del Norte native, Pasaol promised to do whatever it takes to help the team that will pick him.
“Kung makukuha niyo naman ako siguro hindi naman kayo magsisisi. Gagawin ko rin ang lahat ng best ko, lahat ng efforts ko sa loob at labas ng court para manalo. Kumbaga kapag nasa court, para manalo iyong team, gagawin ko lahat kahit nakaupo lang ako, taga-bigay ako ng tubig, okay lang iyon, goods lang iyon sa akin basta at the end of the day mananalo iyong team,” he said.
“Iyon naman ang pangarap sa PBA, makapanalo ka ng championship. Iyon lang naman.”
Fil-Ams Joshua Munzon and Jamie Malonzo are projected to be the No. 1 pick overall among the 97 rookie hopefuls, a league record, in the draft set on March 14 and likely to be held virtually due to the restrictions of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
The likes of Jason Brickman, Mikey Williams, Jeremiah Gray, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Leonard Santillan, Franky Johnson, Ben Adamos, and Larry Muyang are also expected to be picked in the first round.
Terrafirma will be selecting first in the draft followed by NorthPort, and NLEX, which has the Nos. 3 and 4 picks.
