WILLIAM Navarro is skipping his final year in Ateneo to test his luck in the PBA.
The 6-foot-6 center is the latest big man to express his intention to make the leap to the pro league as he joins the mix for the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft.
Navarro, 23, got called up for Gilas Pilipinas duty in the second window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers in Manama, Bahrain last November.
He suited up in the Philippines' first game against Thailand, logging 16 minutes of play as he scored four points, grabbed one rebound, and secured a steal in the 93-61 victory.
Navarro is currently with the national team training camp at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, preparing for the third window of qualifiers set in February in Clark.
There's a high chance that he will be included in the special Gilas round if the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) decides to hold one for this class.
The Athens-raised banger still has one more year left in college with the Blue Eagles, but ultimately chose to beg off with the UAAP Season 83 cancelled altogether.
He averaged 7.3 points on 44-percent shooting, to go with 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.3 minutes of play as Ateneo completed a three-peat this past UAAP Season 82.
Navarro played two seasons in Ateneo after leaving San Beda, where he was part of the Red Lions champion team in NCAA Season 92 in 2016.
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