Abando grateful for Filipinos’ support in Korea after first season in the KBL | ABS-CBN
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Abando grateful for Filipinos’ support in Korea after first season in the KBL
Abando grateful for Filipinos’ support in Korea after first season in the KBL
Rom Anzures,
ABS-CBN News
Published May 30, 2023 01:46 PM PHT
MANILA -- Rhenz Abando capped his rookie year as a professional player with a championship in the Korean Basketball League with Anyang KGC, and the high-flying wing shared that aside from basketball itself, there are countless off-the-court struggles that he also needed to overcome.
MANILA -- Rhenz Abando capped his rookie year as a professional player with a championship in the Korean Basketball League with Anyang KGC, and the high-flying wing shared that aside from basketball itself, there are countless off-the-court struggles that he also needed to overcome.
“Yung whole season is sobrang hirap, pero hindi naman laging mahirap. Minsan okay naman pero most of the time talagang mag-struggle ka kasi sarili mo lang talaga yung kasama mo don. Kung mada-down ka, sarili mo lang, pero thankful pa rin ako kasi naranasan ko yun. Dun ako naging mas matatag. Madami akong natutunan dun,” said Abando during the Collegiate Press Corps’ Awards Night in Quezon City on Monday.
“Yung whole season is sobrang hirap, pero hindi naman laging mahirap. Minsan okay naman pero most of the time talagang mag-struggle ka kasi sarili mo lang talaga yung kasama mo don. Kung mada-down ka, sarili mo lang, pero thankful pa rin ako kasi naranasan ko yun. Dun ako naging mas matatag. Madami akong natutunan dun,” said Abando during the Collegiate Press Corps’ Awards Night in Quezon City on Monday.
Aside from being joined by his fellow Filipino reinforcements, it is the presence of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Korea who helped Abando feel closer to home.
Aside from being joined by his fellow Filipino reinforcements, it is the presence of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Korea who helped Abando feel closer to home.
“Actually hindi rin kami nagkakasama [other Filipino imports], pero siguro ang mapapasalamatan ko talaga is yung mga Pilipino na pumupunta pa sa game. Nanonood sila, sumusuporta, paglabas mo ng arena andun sila, nagaantay,” he added.
“Actually hindi rin kami nagkakasama [other Filipino imports], pero siguro ang mapapasalamatan ko talaga is yung mga Pilipino na pumupunta pa sa game. Nanonood sila, sumusuporta, paglabas mo ng arena andun sila, nagaantay,” he added.
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This helped Abando put up decent outings of 8.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 rejections per contest in his first season in Korea.
This helped Abando put up decent outings of 8.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 rejections per contest in his first season in Korea.
The former Letran MVP also said that he and the other Filipino hoopers in the KBL did not have much opportunity to spend time with each other because of their distance from one another.
The former Letran MVP also said that he and the other Filipino hoopers in the KBL did not have much opportunity to spend time with each other because of their distance from one another.
“May mga player din don, pero iba-iba kami ng schedule. Minsan hindi kami nagkakasama kahit pagtapos ng laro. Minsan pag game naman, pansinan lang kami sa court then pagtapos nun uwi na kasi magkakalayo kami eh. Ang malapit lang ata saakin si RJ [Abbarientos], mga one hour away lang, pero yung iba mga three hours, four hours na,” he shared.
“May mga player din don, pero iba-iba kami ng schedule. Minsan hindi kami nagkakasama kahit pagtapos ng laro. Minsan pag game naman, pansinan lang kami sa court then pagtapos nun uwi na kasi magkakalayo kami eh. Ang malapit lang ata saakin si RJ [Abbarientos], mga one hour away lang, pero yung iba mga three hours, four hours na,” he shared.
This is why the KBL Slam Dunk Contest winner is very grateful for the presence and support of the OFWs who supported him throughout the season.
This is why the KBL Slam Dunk Contest winner is very grateful for the presence and support of the OFWs who supported him throughout the season.
“Sa mga kapwa ko OFW talagang thankful ako sa kanila kasi andun sila and kahit papano may nakakausap naman,“ said Abando.
“Sa mga kapwa ko OFW talagang thankful ako sa kanila kasi andun sila and kahit papano may nakakausap naman,“ said Abando.
Abando was recently awarded the Basketball Player of the Year in 2021-2022 for his contributions as the Rookie of the Year and NCAA Season 97 MVP for Letran, guiding them to back-to-back NCAA titles in May 2022.
Abando was recently awarded the Basketball Player of the Year in 2021-2022 for his contributions as the Rookie of the Year and NCAA Season 97 MVP for Letran, guiding them to back-to-back NCAA titles in May 2022.
Former Letran star Rhenz Abando discusses his rookie season in Korea.
Former Letran star Rhenz Abando discusses his rookie season in Korea.
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