CHICAGO — After being a star in college and a solid showing in the MPBL, Mark Noynoy was starting to carve a niche in the PBA.
He ended his rookie campaign at Terrafirma on a terrific note by averaging 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup.
After the Christmas break, though, the intrepid 5-foot-9, 175-lb guard had gone missing.
Unreachable through telecommunication and via social media, the 25-year old had simply vanished into thin air.
READ: Terrafirma says Nonoy has gone AWOL, mum on Sangalang absence
Either that, or he simply just doesn’t want to be found.
WHERE IS MARK NONOY?
No one seems to know, including his former teammates at La Salle where he won a UAAP chip in 2022.
But an official at Noynoy’s former team, the United Royals in his hometown of Iloilo, speculated that the issue could be money.
According to my sources Noynoy signed a two-year contract worth P200,000 a month. It’s a huge deal for a rookie contract.
Although the deal, which expires at the end of the year, is fully guaranteed it’s unclear if Mark is still getting paid by the Dyip given his continued absence from practices.
Maybe Noynoy, last seen allegedly playing in a league in Iloilo which was reportedly sponsored by a congressman, is getting more money in “ligang labas” sorties and no longer has interest in returning to the PBA.
WORSE FEARS
Another angle is that the 2019 UAAP Rookie of the Year is going through a domestic issue and needs personal time to sort it out.
All of that is par for the course in the game of life.
But here’s the greatest fear those close to him are beginning to harbor.
“Baka na injured sya doon sa ligang labas,” an associate of Noynoy, whose messages have not been responded to by the player, told me on Tuesday night.
Here’s hoping Mark Noynoy is fine.
And whatever he’s dealing with, he needs to pick up the damn phone and communicate with Terrafirma.
Mark Noynoy is a really good point guard, but he’s not irreplaceable.
Certainly not on a team that is currently for sale and wouldn’t mind shedding payroll.
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