HE was supposed to be the heir apparent to Sean Chambers as Alaska's resident import in the PBA back then.
But Devin Davis - who led Alaska to a championship in a memorable one-and-done stint in the PBA back in 1998 - was so good teams in the Liga ACB of Spain never allowed him to play elsewhere again.
It’s the reason why despite efforts and repeated appeals by coach Tim Cone for the 6-foot-8 University of Miami in Ohio product to come back and play for Alaska again, Davis never made it back to the Philippine pro league.
READ Former Best import Devin Davis in town for Alaska mini-reunion
“He would have been our Sean Chambers, but he got a big contract in Spain and ended up playing in Spain for 15 years,” recalled Cone of Davis, who was in town recently for a brief stay and a memorable reunion with the Alaska organization.
“I kept calling him every year, ‘You want to come back? You want to come back?’ while he was in Spain. And he could not come back.”
The now 67-year-old coach said the last time he attempted to lure Davis back was around 2001 or 2002.
“I just checked on him if he can come over as our import, and he couldn’t come because he’s in Spain,” said Cone. “So I haven’t really talked to him for about 20-25 years.”
Now retired at 50, Davis made Spain his home following his memorable, one-conference stint with Alaska in 1998, playing for teams such as Gran Canaria, Leche Rio Breogan, and the Winterthur FC Barcelona - the former ballclub of Spain natives Pau and Mark Gasol, Ricky Rubio, and Juan Carlos Navarro, among others.
His long stay in Spain eventually made him a citizen of the country and he now speaks fluent Spanish.
But the Philippines and Alaska will always be close to his heart, so when he found an opportunity to come over – brief as it may be – he quickly got in touch with Chambers, now Gilas Pilipinas deputy and coach of Far Eastern University, and former Alaska team captain Jojo Lastimosa, current team manager of TNT.
“He said he’s in Cambodia and Vietnam, and then when he looked at the map and realized he’s nearby Philippines, he called Sean and Jojo and said he wants to come over,” said Cone.
“And in 24/7 we set up a dinner and have it for him,” added the Barangay Ginebra coach. “He’s only here like for three days, and we have to put something together. You got to give Jojo credit, he was the one who put it all together for everybody.”
And so for hours and hours, it was all about reminiscing the good old days.
Just a year removed from college when he first came over, Davis served as Alaska import during the 1998 Commissioner’s Cup which saw the team emerg as the top seed after the eliminations for an outright spot in the semifinals.
In the semis, the Milkmen beat John Best and Formula Shell to arrange a title duel with a San Miguel Beer side reinforced by Lamont Strothers and had just dispatched the Mobiline Phone Pals.
Davis was adjudged Best Import after averaging 28.3 points as Alaska disposed of San Miguel in six games to win its second straight championship in the 1998 season and come close to achieving another grand slam.
Davis twice-and-done
Too bad, Davis only played twice for the Milkmen in Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league, returning for the franchise the following season to help the team defend its title, only to lose against San Miguel in the semifinals.
But he did leave a lasting impact.
“He was like a scary figure for everybody with his dreads and gold teeth,” said Cone, describing how Davis looked like when he suited up for the franchise 27 years ago.
“That’s why we’re all laughing because that’s how we remember him, the floppy hair, the dreads, and the gold teeth. So super strong and physical. He was the most physical import I’ve ever coached. He looked like a monster on the court.”
Sharing stories and the good old days together with Cone, Davis, Chambers, and Lastimosa were other members of that Alaska champion team such as Bong Hawkins, Rodney Santos, Poch Juinio, Kevin Ramas, Richard Bachmann, and former Alaska assistant trainer Mike Braga.
Greatly missed were Johnny Abarrientos and Kenneth Duremdes.
“Sayang Johnny didn’t make it, Kenneth didn’t make it. Kenneth was out of town and Johnny was doing stuff for Magnolia,” said Cone.
“It was just pretty awesome seeing all the guys back from 1998. I haven’t seen Kevin (Ramas) in 25 or 20 years probably. He looked exactly the same. He looks like he’s in better shape now than he was when he was playing for us with Alaska,” added Cone in jest, alluding to his former center.
But Davis certainly was at the center of it all.
The import showed up with a clean-cut look and parted with the gold teeth, giving him a less-imposing presence, yet looking every bit fit and still in shape.
“When you get into your 50s, I’m not sure if you’ll (still) keep that look. He even got rid of his gold teeth, he’s got straight teeth. And I asked him about it. He said he just went to the dentist and had it removed,” said Cone.
But his mean demeanor and gentle attitude remain the same, according to his former coach.
“He has such a great soul and such a good person that he didn’t look like,” said Cone. "But we knew him off the court, he’s a super guy that’s why the players loved him so much. We knew what kind of person he was. Just a tremendous person and tremendous teammate.”
Davis managed to watch a TNT game against Magnolia during the eliminations at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, but failed to see Cone in person coaching Ginebra at the Ynares Center in Antipolo against Rain or Shine.
He departed the country last Tuesday, but left yet another lasting impact but this time, off the court.
“They’re all in their 50s, I’m in my 60s and it was fun to reminisce and talk about things that we remember about them,” said Cone. “We just realized how much love we had for Devin when he was here.”
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