FOR PBA great and Sacramento Kings player development coach Jimmy Alapag, the camp of star forward Kevin Quiambao could have done a better job landing the latter an NBA Summer League opportunity.
“This isn’t blaming Kevin at all, I do think whoever is helping him should have probably planned better in terms of reaching out to different NBA teams and front offices and saying, ‘We have this unbelievable young Filipino talent, he’s been an import around Asia and Korea, he’s one of the best amateur players here at home,” Alapag said on the Power and Play program hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala over the weekend. “‘How can we get an opportunity for him to be seen possibly by your coach, your front office?’
“That kind of starts the momentum for Kevin to hopefully get a chance to work out with an NBA team, whether it’s us or any other NBA organization and if he impresses, now the next step is, ‘Hey, why don’t you come and maybe we’ll have you be on our Summer League team,’” he added.
The 6-foot-5 Quiambao, a former two-time UAAP MVP and Gilas Pilipinas mainstay, failed to see action on any team—including Alapag’s Kings—in the Summer League last month.
Alapag said he briefly talked with Quiambao last January, when the former La Salle ace told him that he is about to go to the United States and eye a spot in the NBA Summer League.
On the course of their conversations, Alapag said he thought that Quiambao’s camp had already arranged the workouts with NBA squads.
When Quiambao, 24, arrived in the US to try his luck, Sacramento already had a complete roster.
“There’s a very direct process to how that all works and I felt bad that I wasn’t in a position to help him,” Alapag said. “When he reached out and said, ‘Hey, I’m here in Sacramento. I’d love to work out and try to make the team.’
“The team had already been put together. So, that was the unfortunate part.”
Quiambao reportedly tried out with five other teams but did not get the opportunity to show his wares.
Alapag is nonetheless convinced Quiambao has what it takes.
“He’s young and I commend him for seeking out these opportunities here, Summer League, G League, potentially in the NBA in the future,” he said. “He just has to continue to keep working so that when that time comes, when he does get an opportunity, that not just physically.
“But mentally, he’s as sharp and he’s the best Kevin Quiambao that he can be because it will take that and probably more.”
Should Quiambao try his hand anew, his handlers should make it up.
