WHAT do ace playmakers Juan Gómez de Liaño and Fil-Italian Dalph Panopio, and big man Geo Chiu have in common?
After stints overseas, the three rookie hopefuls have decided to come home and fulfill their pro league dreams in the Philippines—with all of them making a good case as the possible No. 1 pick overall in the annual Draft set for Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay.
“I felt like it was a perfect time. I’ve been overseas for four years. I gained a lot of experience there. Developed a lot, not just as a player but as a person as well so kumbaga parang nagpa-mature muna ako ng sarili,” the 6-foot, former PBA D-League MVP Gómez de Liaño, who had a stellar career with University of the Philippines before suiting up in Japan, Lithuania, and Korea, said yesterday during the first day of the Draft Combine at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. “Now, I had the right and perfect chance to be here and just took and grab it.
“I had a couple of options as well but I felt like this was the best kinda option for me,” he added.
Gómez de Liaño’s case is akin to Fil-Italian guard Dalph Panopio and the 6-foot-10 Geo Chiu, both also returning to the country.
“It was easy to be honest kasi I wanted to be a professional basketball player and being a Filipino, it really helps me to be a professional here in the Philippines, especially in the PBA,” Panopio, a 6-foot-1 former Gilas Pilipinas Youth court general, said.
“Being born in Italy and then had the chance to play in the States, I feel really lucky na dito po ako makapaglaro sa PBA and represent my country, play for my people, in my country actually.”
For Chiu, a champion cager from Ateneo who toughened up in the second division of the Japan B.League, it’s about being close to his family while playing the sport he loves.
“It’s a big decision. I had to take some time to talk about it with my family. Also, that this was the move for me and we decided that it’s the best,” Chiu, the tallest among the 126 applicants, said. “Siguro kasi, like just entering the PBA naman has been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid. Looking back, it’s something that I really wanted to fulfill and sakto lang naman, opportunity ngayon.
“Siguro, I just want to be close to my family also. It’s something na medyo mahirap kasi when you’re abroad, being away from your family. So, iyon. Siguro, we decided that this might be the best for now.”
Feeling under the weather, Chiu skipped the Combine activities.
Gómez de Liaño, Panopio, and Chiu are all expected to hear their names called over the weekend—the big, first step as they try to achieve their dreams of playing on home soil.
