IS LA Tenorio ripe to become a PBA head coach?
He is, as far as San Miguel Corp. sports director Alfrancis Chua is concerned, which is why management decided to appoint the 41-year-old as Magnolia's new coach.
Incidentally, it was during Tenorio’s first stint as head coach with Gilas Pilipinas Youth in the FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in Pampanga last May where management got the idea of considering the then-Barangay Ginebra playing-assistant coach to be the Hotshots' next shot-caller.
READ: How Ginebra gave an assist to Gilas Youth's latest SEABA title
“Biniro ko siya after winning the SEABA gold, I said, 'Pwede ka na!'” said Chua. “Doon nag-umpisa ‘yun.”
“Ang youth, mas mahirap turuan kesa sa nakakapag-isip na na player dahil repetition ‘yan,” he added.
That, in Chua's eyes, is just the most recent proof in his belief that Tenorio has the qualities to become a PBA head coach, although he also doesn’t expect immediate results.
“Everybody knows he is a very intelligent guy, very smart, team leader. I think we are not expecting that much. Bago pa lang si LA. For sure, he will be good as a head coach. Pero maraming nagtatanong, bata pa. Sabi ko, hindi na bata (si LA). kaya nga 40 na eh.”
A skip in LA's step
There are sentiments from observers that Tenorio should first coach in the collegiate level before plunging into the professional ranks.
But for Chua, Tenorio’s qualities will always lead him into eventually becoming a PBA coach, regardless of where he starts.
“We think kailangan siyang mag-start somewhere. Baka ilagay mo sa eskwela, mag-coach sa eskwela, nag-isip pa kung paano. Doon din naman siya (in the PBA) babagsak eh,” he said.
“Mahal siya ng kumpanya, mahal siya ng organization ng San Miguel. That’s why we decided to put him sa isa sa mga sister team,” he added.
Chua said Tenorio is looking forward to the new challenge ahead of him with Magnolia, which has only won one title since the franchise took the Grand Slam during the 2013-14 season.
“He was excited when I called him. Sabi ko, naka-decide na kami na magko-coach siya ng Magnolia,” he said.
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