CHICAGO — Like clockwork, Schonny Winston was early for practice at Gatorade Hoops last Friday when coach Franco Atienza summoned him to the office.
And that’s where he heard the news that the Converge FiberXers had traded him.
“It’s part of the business. You learn quickly that nothing is permanent in this league,” a circumspect Winston told me on Tuesday.
READ Poli officially with Converge, Winston at NLEX as trade approved
Winston, whose mid-range game is one of the few remaining vestiges of the lost art form, wasted no time ruminating.
“My full attention now is helping NLEX win,” said the 27-year old Fil-Am from Los Angeles.
RIDING IN TANDEM.
And the 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard is determined to unload the full arsenal.
“My job is to bring energy, discipline and consistency every day. I take pride in defending, spacing the floor and playing within structure.”
Believing that he will “fit well” and “complement what’s already working,” Winston is excited to play alongside the Road Warriors’ resident star Robert Bolick.
“I respect his game a lot. He’s proven in this league. Playing with a scorer like that means I need to be sharp and make the right reads,” the former La Salle ace said.
Before joining his new team, the ninth overall pick of the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft allowed himself to look back.
“I’m grateful for my time at Converge. We built real relationships there. I’ll miss the daily battles in practice and the locker room energy. Those experiences stay with you.”
NEXT STOP, TNT?
Winston will also yearn for the delectable Pampaga cuisine that coach Dennis “Delta” Pineda routinely provided.
“Coach Delta and the organization took care of us. I won’t lie, the team meals after tough practices hit different.”
Besides his per game averages of 11.8 points, 3.08 rebounds and 2.1 assists last conference, Winston brings toughness to a team that can make the playoffs but falls short as a title contender.
Ironically, though, league observers believe that NLEX is just the requisite tollway towards Schonny’s next destination.
The TNT Tropang 5G.
It's a road well-traveled but a journey for another day.
Meanwhile, Schonny is ready to shine under the searing spotlight of the MVP Group.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
