CHICAGO - Before he was drafted in 2022, I had the chance to talk to Jeremiah Gray on the phone.
Laid back as California, and with a catchy name that rolls off the tongue like Hollywood gold, he was easy to like and I immediately became a fan.
And that is why it felt like a gut punch when I saw the news report on Sunday that Gray may have, sadly, torn his ACL.
READ: Gray suffered dislocated knee, says Cone
With 22 seconds left in the third quarter and Ginebra nursing a 68-66 lead, Gray sprinted toward what would have been an easy basket before his legs crumpled beneath him.
It's his second knee tragedy in 22 months.
How can fate be so cruel to a nice guy who is loved by his peers and adored by the fans?
Here's a better question, though: Why was he even playing in the PBA on Tour where most of the league's teams are only fielding second stringers, college players, 3x3 mainstays, and free agents?
Already a PBA champion and an All-Star at age 26, Gray should have been parked the same way the MVP group is harboring its prized assets.
MEA CULPA GINEBRA?
With Miah's prior history of an ACL tear, the team should have just allowed him to stay in shape by working on his strength and conditioning.
I know, I know, bad luck can't be prevented. But it can be mitigated by not putting yourself in a position to be second-guessed, which is probably what the Ginebra coaching staff must have done to themselves the last 24 hours.
Even if Gray insisted on playing in the PBA Tour to hone his skills, his coaches should have stepped in and reminded him of the folly of playing meaningless games.
What a crying shame.
Gray will be grounded for a significant amount of time if the ACL injury is confirmed. Not only do the Gin Kings lose a vibrant locker room comrade, the team will also miss the numbers he brought in last conference.
As former Golden State Warrior Shaun Livingston has proven, having two ACL tears is not a career death sentence.
Here's praying Miah emerges on the bright side of what appears to be a long and winding road to recovery.
Meanwhile, the Gin Kings could probably use a tall glass of their own beverage product to help swallow this bitter pill.
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