BEN Phillips managed to sneak in a three-minute interview before his and brother Michael’s Grab ride home arrived at Meralco gym after Gilas Pilipinas practice last week.
Looks like Ben has time for everything.
After all, even before suiting up for the national pool’s training session on Tuesday night, the Filipino-American La Salle forward already had a long day that started in Taft where he had two practices –the first with the volleyball team and the other with the basketball squad.
“Araw-araw, may tatlong practices a day, so usually volleyball sa umaga, basketball sa La Salle, tapos Gilas,” Phillips shared with a smile.
How Ben Phillips juggles being two-sport athlete
How does he juggle being a two-sport athlete at La Salle and now a member of the 28-man Gilas pool that’s preparing for the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia next month?
“You just pray for the strength,” Phillips, who turned 24 last April 10, said. “You wanna make sure that this is what you asked for, so I’m living the dream and I’m really just blessed.”
That’s apart from his other endeavors. He’s studying to get his doctorate degree in Business Administration, working as the Director of Global Affairs at Dr. Baker & Associates - The Business Hospital, promoting his book, "The Lone Wolf Mentality: A Millennial Mindset," and managing his health and wellness consulting company.
He’s definitely counting his latest blessing.
“Super really happy to have been included in the pool,” Phillips said. “My goal every day is just to learn as much as I can and practice really hard to help the team get better to bring the gold back.”
“My goal every day is just to show up and work as hard as I can. I know we have a lot of really talented people. These have been my idols that I look up to in the PBA,” he added.
Together for just a couple of practices, Phillips has already learned a lot from his kuyas.
“How important taking care of your body is,” he said. “They really prioritize even the simple things like stretching and health, and really having a routine. Learning from guys that have been doing this ten, fifteen years, it really makes me think long-term.”
Putting a premium on health, including eating right and having enough sleep, is required when you play for three teams at the same time.
“Absolutely. I try to rest as much as I can,” Phillips said. “Eating healthy is very premium in my routine, so whether it’s getting your protein, getting your clean meals, lot of water - that’s the only thing I drink and getting Gatorade.”

Phillips’ volleyball skills as a middle blocker also come in handy in basketball – and it's evident in Gilas practice.
“Opo. Maraming cross-training experiences sa volleyball,” the 6-foot-5 athlete said. “Like vertical jumping ability tapos may lateral quickness, especially to guard super mas mabilis guards like CJ Perez, so it’s really, really helpful to have the extra training from volleyball to really help me in basketball.”
That versatility is likewise what the Gilas pool needs, especially having manpower issues before the Barangay Ginebra and TNT stars reinforce the team.
“I’m really looking forward to brushing up on my skills, being able to handle the ball more and learning from my kuyas here on how they play multiple positions. So it’s really just an amazing experience,” Phillips said.
Whether he makes the final roster or not, Phillips knows it’s a win-win situation.
“I’m just really taking it all as a learning experience and whatever I can to help.”
All in a day's work.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph