.jpg)
“Iyan (playing for a championship team) ang laging iniisip ko talaga. Ramdam ko na rin kasi ang pagod. Sana mapunta ako sa isang championship contender na team,” says Gary David. Jerome Ascano
AT 34, Gary David is aware he’s no longer a spring chicken.
And at the rate newcomer Globalport has been performing in the PBA Philippine Cup, David knows time may not be on his side as he continues to chase that elusive championship ring.
“Iyan (playing for a championship team) ang laging iniisip ko talaga. Ramdam ko na rin kasi ang pagod. Sana mapunta ako sa isang championship contender na team,” David told Spin.ph amid persistent rumors that he is on the trading block.
The pro league has been rife with rumors that David is set to become the central piece in a blockbuster three-way trade that may also involve Petron's Jay Washington and Barangay Ginebra's Kerby Raymundo, but Globalport basketball operations manager Eric Arejola has moved quickly to quash the talks.
"We won't trade Gary. Kahit nga idea of trading him, it never came to mind sa management. Globalport intends to keep Gary David," Arejola told Spin.ph.
The 6-foot-1 Globalport shooting guard and league scoring champion said he had spoken to management about his desire to play for a competitive team.
“Na-share ko naman sa management yung naiisip ko. Ang management din naman ayaw nila matalo kaya sila rin ginagawa nila ang dapat para lumakas ang team,” David said.
But in the event GlobalPort management decides to ship him out, David said he won’t complain at all, knowing that being traded is part of the realities of being a professional ball player.
“Kung ma-trade man ako, ready lang ako mag-adapt sa bagong sistema. Ganyan lang talaga ang buhay sa PBA. Tanggapin na lang natin yung ganun kasi trabaho iyan eh,” said David, who is averaging 17.6 points and 2.33 rebounds in three games with the Batang Pier this season.
David was one of eight players Globalport absorbed when sportsman-businessman Mikee Romero brought the Powerade franchise through his Sultan 900 Inc. during the offseason.
The native of Dinalupihan, Bataan admitted he already felt comfortable playing for Powerade last season especially after the Tigers’ surprising run in the playoff that saw them went all the way to the Finals of the All-Filipino Cup.
Although seeded no. 8, the Tigers rode on David’s red-hot shooting to pull off a gigantic series victory over top seed B-Meg Llamados.
The Tigers used their upset of the Llamados as springboard in their march to the best-of-seven title series opposite reigning championTalk `N Text. The Tropang Texters ended the Tigers’ bid for a Cinderella finish after winning the series, 4-2.
“Siyempre, nagbago na naman ng team nung mag-start yung season. Okay na sana ako sa Powerade, tingin ko kasi, ilang conference na … kung baga, tiyaga-tiyaga na lang sa Powerade dahil nag-Finals na rin kasi kami sa first conference,” recalled David.
But now that he’s with Globalport, the 10th overall pick of the 2004 draft hopes Romero could continue to upgrade the team’s roster to make it more competitive.
And at the rate newcomer Globalport has been performing in the PBA Philippine Cup, David knows time may not be on his side as he continues to chase that elusive championship ring.
“Iyan (playing for a championship team) ang laging iniisip ko talaga. Ramdam ko na rin kasi ang pagod. Sana mapunta ako sa isang championship contender na team,” David told Spin.ph amid persistent rumors that he is on the trading block.
The pro league has been rife with rumors that David is set to become the central piece in a blockbuster three-way trade that may also involve Petron's Jay Washington and Barangay Ginebra's Kerby Raymundo, but Globalport basketball operations manager Eric Arejola has moved quickly to quash the talks.
"We won't trade Gary. Kahit nga idea of trading him, it never came to mind sa management. Globalport intends to keep Gary David," Arejola told Spin.ph.
The 6-foot-1 Globalport shooting guard and league scoring champion said he had spoken to management about his desire to play for a competitive team.
“Na-share ko naman sa management yung naiisip ko. Ang management din naman ayaw nila matalo kaya sila rin ginagawa nila ang dapat para lumakas ang team,” David said.
But in the event GlobalPort management decides to ship him out, David said he won’t complain at all, knowing that being traded is part of the realities of being a professional ball player.
“Kung ma-trade man ako, ready lang ako mag-adapt sa bagong sistema. Ganyan lang talaga ang buhay sa PBA. Tanggapin na lang natin yung ganun kasi trabaho iyan eh,” said David, who is averaging 17.6 points and 2.33 rebounds in three games with the Batang Pier this season.
David was one of eight players Globalport absorbed when sportsman-businessman Mikee Romero brought the Powerade franchise through his Sultan 900 Inc. during the offseason.
The native of Dinalupihan, Bataan admitted he already felt comfortable playing for Powerade last season especially after the Tigers’ surprising run in the playoff that saw them went all the way to the Finals of the All-Filipino Cup.
Although seeded no. 8, the Tigers rode on David’s red-hot shooting to pull off a gigantic series victory over top seed B-Meg Llamados.
The Tigers used their upset of the Llamados as springboard in their march to the best-of-seven title series opposite reigning championTalk `N Text. The Tropang Texters ended the Tigers’ bid for a Cinderella finish after winning the series, 4-2.
“Siyempre, nagbago na naman ng team nung mag-start yung season. Okay na sana ako sa Powerade, tingin ko kasi, ilang conference na … kung baga, tiyaga-tiyaga na lang sa Powerade dahil nag-Finals na rin kasi kami sa first conference,” recalled David.
But now that he’s with Globalport, the 10th overall pick of the 2004 draft hopes Romero could continue to upgrade the team’s roster to make it more competitive.
Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava
No comments:
Post a Comment