DWIGHT Ramos has yet to play a single minute for Ateneo in the UAAP, yet this early, Gilas Pilipinas coach Jong Uichico believes the Fil-Am guard is ready for the PBA.
"I think he's PBA-ready kasi magagamit at magagamit siya eh," the Gilas Pilipinas coach told 2OT. "Kung sa Gilas nga, nagagamit siya eh, what more doon sa PBA where he will really be a factor."
Uichico went as far as comparing Ramos to his former player at San Miguel Danny Seigle.
With Ramos standing at 6-foot-5, that size could only work well for him as he has shown his ability to play in both the wings and the guard positions.
"He’s not very quick but he’s athletic. Ang lakas ng katawan kasi niya eh, and at the point guard, he's not only a scoring point guard, he has great vision for a point guard which medyo nawawala na ngayon," said the nine-time PBA champion.
"Ngayon medyo scoring point guard or facilitator siya, pero ibang dimension siya kasi he can create. He’s not quick, but he’s strong, he can create, he can pass the ball, and he can make the shots, especially if he has a lot of great players around him."
Ramos' performance in Manama actually caught Uichico by surprise.
"Honestly, hindi ko naman siya kilala. I know na ni-recruit siya ng Ateneo but that’s all I know about him and yung mga highlight videos niya, yun lang ang kilala ko. I didn’t know how good he was. He is not very impressive in practice eh kasi team player siya eh. Doon ko lang talaga siya nakilala and nakausap," the 58-year-old coach said.
Ramos, however, made sure to get everybody's attention after his first Gilas game, where he was perfect from the field with his 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals as the nationals waylaid Thailand, 93-61 last Friday.
"That first game really surprised me that yes, he does a little bit of all: nakaka-score, depensa, ang ganda ng vision niya, so he gives you an all-around performance," Uichico said.
Ramos followed it up with a 13-point, 5-rebound performance in the Philippines' 93-69 victory on Monday to complete the sweep of the two-game series against the Thais.
That's the Dwight Ramos that Uichico agrees should be a key part of building Gilas' future heading into the 2023 Fiba World Cup.
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