THE PBA Rookie Draft may just be the beginning, but rookie hopeful CJ Cansino has already gone through a lot just to make it this far in his career.
The 24-year-old guard survived two ACL injuries in four years, endured a pandemic controversy with University of Santo Tomas that led to his transfer to the University of the Philippines, and stood tough after losing his mother last year.
That’s why, he thinks, he owes it to himself to keep reaching for his hoops dream.
“Growing up, syempre, nangangarap ako, and isa ito sa mga path na ina-eye ko, ‘yung makapag-pro. Hindi naging madali ‘yung journey ko kasi ‘yung pinagdaanan ko na injury, ‘yung iba hindi na nakakabalik from it,” Cansino told SPIN.ph.
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The 6-foot-2 UAAP champion with the UP Maroons bared that his fate was written by a mixture of hard work, discipline, and luck recovering from what others described as a ‘career-threatening’ injury.
“Lagi ko naman mindset na subukan lang, sumubok lang nang sumubok, kung hindi mag-work edi reroute, pero sa sitwasyon ko, nagwo-work. Nagkakaroon ako ng problem pero nasosolusyonan ko naman,” he said.
Hence, he faced a tougher challenge when his mother, Rowena, his biggest fan, a fixture in the UAAP audience since CJ's junior days with the Tiger Cubs, passed away early in 2023.
“Ang pinakamahirap na hinarap ko is nung nawala si mom," Cansino said. "Simula bata ako nasanay akong nasa likod ko siya lagi, naonood, kahit anong game, and syempre, ‘yung care ng isang nanay, mahirap hanapin."
Still and all, CJ powered through.
After his collegiate career, Cansino had a brief stint in the MPBL with the Iloilo United Royals which he said equipped him with the experience and the toughness he needed to play with the pros.
“Nag-MPBL ako para ma-experience ko ‘yung pro environment, nakapag-adjust naman na sa physicality, pero ine-expect ko na mas may system sa PBA,” he said.
Ginebra fan
While he’s from a household of big Barangay Ginebra fans, Cansino vowed to give his all to any team that will accept him.
“Ang daming nangyari bago ako makarating dito, pero any team na magbigay sa'kin ng opportunity, masaya na ko,” he said.
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