Despite starring for the Philippines’ men’s national basketball team for the past year, versatile wingman Dwight Ramos is excited to showcase his game at the next level and become one of the country’s true basketball stars.

He’s getting that shot after the 6-foot-4 guard signed on to play for the Toyama Grouses in Japan’s professional basketball league—the B.League. Playing a few games for Ateneo but mostly, for Gilas ever since he arrived in the country, Ramos is eager to spread his wings and represent the country in the Land of the Rising Sun.

“Every time I go out there, I feel like I got to prove myself,” Ramos said in his appearance on The Game. “I’ve only played a couple of games for Gilas and didn’t get to play in the UAAP.

“I’m still relatively new to the Filipino basketball scene. I’m hoping that this year, I’m going to solidify my name in the Philippines,” he added.

Ramos was set to play for Ateneo in the UAAP but that plan got shelved owing to the uncertainty surrounding the league’s future caused by the global health crisis. Pressed to make a decision about his budding basketball career, Ramos chose to go to Japan.

“I just really need to keep playing because it is really hard to play in the gym,” Ramos said. “I’m just looking forward to getting to that–consistent practice and games. That’s what I was looking for.”

“Then, I found a good team–one of the top teams in the B.League. They wanted me so that’s how it all happened,” continued Ramos.

With several Filipino and Gilas stars headed by Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, and Bobby Ray Parks, also playing in the B.League, Ramos revealed that he’s excited to play against them all.

“I’m really excited. Some of them, I haven’t played against and haven’t really played with that much,” he said. “So, I’m really excited to play against them and see them over there. I think it’s going to be really exciting for all of us.” (JNP)