ADRIAN Wong said he was surprised to be let go by Rain or Shine once his contract with the PBA franchise expired early this year.
While he understands the nature of the business, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle didn't expect the Elasto Painters to give him his release papers.
“A little bit,” when asked if he found it a bit shocking that his stint with Rain or Shine came to an end after only two conferences considering when he was the team’s No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 rookie draft.
“But I’ve got to keep moving forward.”
It’s a good thing Magnolia was there and welcomed him with open arms, eventually signing him to a two-year contract in the middle of the PBA Governors Cup.
In so short a time, the former Ateneo stalwart appeared to have quickly settled down with the Hotshots as proof of him scoring a career-high 18 points on Saturday in a 103-83 blowout of Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Wong on fire
Wong was on fire from the outside, hitting 6-of-7 of his shots from beyond the arc while adding a pair of rebounds and assists in the win that stretched Magnolia’s unblemished record to 6-0 overall.
He stressed the need to step up and adopt the next man mentality with several guys down with injuries including veteran Calvin Abueva.
“Our teammates, we all trust each other. It’s next man up mentality now, especially we have people down,” said Wong. “But that’s OK, we have people who could step up.”
He did, and it’s something which he also credited to Rain or Shine, which nurtured him early in his PBA career.
“They did a really good job of preparing me. They taught me a lot. I give the credit to Rain or Shine for drafting me and letting me have an opportunity,” he said.
“But you know, the PBA’s a business. I gotta come here and do my job. And I’m glad I’m here.”
Despite the parting of ways, Wong doesn’t hold a grudge against his former team.
“No,” he said with a straight face when asked if there’s any hard feelings.
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