NBA dream

FORMER Smart Gilas member Japeth Aguilar is a step closer to making his NBA dream a reality.

Mike T. Limpag

View profile

Yahoo Philippines reported that the 6’9” Aguilar, who former suited up for Talk N Text in the PBA, will be drafted by a National Basketball Association Developmental League team, keeping alive his dream of becoming the first Pinoy player in the NBA. The draft will be next month.

Yahoo reported that Leo Balayon, who is supervising Aguilar’s training in the US, said the Filipino standout attended the tryouts of the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Santa Cruz Warriors, and was impressive in both tryouts.

“Japeth played really well. He was very active and aggresive. He had a couple of dunks and there was one sequence where he shot back-to-back 3s.

After the tryout ended, Warriors officials told Japeth’s agent that they would draft him.

They really want him and he didn’t disappoint the team,” Balayon said in the report.

The Warriors are not the only team interested in Aguilar as the Bakersfield Jam, the team that Aguilar tried out first, is still interested in the Filipino player.

“The biggest thing that Bakersfield offered is the conditioning training. NBA style talaga. That’s something that Jap will need to make the NBA,” Balayon said.

Balayon said that Warriors are planning to pick another player in their first turn at the draft but will choose Aguilar, if he would still be available, for their next pick.

“They (the Warriors) said they would draft him if he is still available when their turn comes in the draft. That’s good to hear because they really value him. They even think that someone will pick Aguilar before him. Their very first pick has already been promised to someone else. But their second pick will be for Japeth. All we need to do now is wait for the draft.”