OKINAWA – Matthew Wright may have moved on to Japan, but there’s a part of his heart which remains with his old team Phoenix.
And with the rise of the Fuel Masters this PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, the Fil-Canadian is just overjoyed to see his former side near the top of the standings this conference.
“I love it,” he said. “A part of me is still with Phoenix. I gave six years of my life with them and I still keep in touch with them.”
Wright, who now plays for the Kyoto Hannaryz in the Japan B.League, said that he still finds time to reach out to his old peers and celebrate Phoenix’s success, all the more as the Fuel Masters clinched a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs as they currently sit at second place.
“I still keep in contact with them. From boss Bugs [Paolo Bugia] to coach Jamike [Jarin], I was in the trenches with those guys for a long time so it's just hard to forget about your team and just leave,” he stated, giving special shoutout to Jason Perkins and RJ Jazul.
“Perkins and I are still good friends. It goes beyond basketball. Our families know each other. Our kids play together. It's deeper than just sports. RJ was my longest tenured teammate in my career and I've seen him to be such a professional and his son grow up and be like his dad.”
It’s really a bond that will last a lifetime for Wright and although he’s miles away from Phoenix, and he only wishes nothing but success for those who remain.
:I'm very proud of that organization because I tried my absolute best. [They were] nothing when I first came into the team, one of the worst teams. So we tried to build something, tried to build a fanbase like Phoenix and I'm very happy to see that now,” he said. /RSB
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