SEVEN teams in seven years. That's the journey Dylan Ababou took as a PBA player. Short by many standards but long enough for him to have the experience to prepare him for the next challenge, not here but abroad, specifically in the US, where he now resides.
Injuries cut short Ababou's career and when many others having the same predicament before him would rather sulk and ponder needlessly on what might have been, Ababou decided his life and career are in his hands. He looked far, indeed, very far, for his life's next chapter.
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He moved to California and within a year, he is thriving. He has four jobs, which is a common exercise among immigrant Filipinos trying to grab whatever opportunity arises, even if it means having a few hours sleep each day and jeopardizing their health in the process.
“Sobrang busy. Buong araw ako nagtatrabaho,” Ababou began as he had to sneak in this long-overdue online interview at 1 a.m. local time in Tulare, California.
Mornings see him wear a hat as marketer for four medical companies, making clinic rounds to promote physical therapy services, wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, and medical supplies.
“Parang akong med rep pero hindi gamot yung nire-represent ko,” said Ababou, who turned 37 last December 7.
Then there's his Chocobambam nourishment business in the Philippines which he operates from long distance. In the evening, he hosts an online bible study. Afternoons, that’s when the former University of Santo Tomas star forward finds his comfort zone.
He’s an assistant coach for the Tulare Union high school girls’ team and a PE teacher at Manuel Hernandez elementary school in nearby Visalia.
The rest of the day and during weekends, he’s running his Dylan Ababou Basketball Academy, where he conducts skills training for all ages, levels, and genders.
So he has all the basketball he needs to remind him of where he came from.
“Okay na naman ako eh. Bukod sa lagi ako nai-injure, feeling ko naibigay ko na lahat sa basketball. It’s time to move on,” said the member of the 2006 Growing Tigers UAAP champion team, 2009 UAAP MVP, Smart-Gilas pioneer, and 2012 PBA All-Star and All-Rookie team member.
Ababou tried to give his PBA career one last shot when he was set to make a league comeback via the 3x3 tournament playing for Platinum Karaoke in late 2021. But he tore his Achilles 10 days before the start of the season, prompting him to finally hang up his sneakers.
While rehabbing from his injury, Ababou found his next calling as assistant coach to Anton Altamirano. He focused on skills training, handling his teammates at Platinum, and some schools, including La Salle Greenhills.
The activities, however, were not enough to placate Ababou's restless soul. He decided to take his act to America.
A green-card holder and only paying his family visits in the past, Ababou moved to California for good in September 2022 and now has only three years of residency remaining to become a US citizen.
Inspired by the fundamentals and progression concepts of Ginebra skills coach Kirk Collier, Ababou applies the same ideas to his basketball academy where he has over 200 students – the youngest is 4, the oldest over 50.
As an assistant coach, Ababou is equipped with a treasure chest of knowledge from the mentors he has played for throughout his career.
He built a foundation early on at Sienna College where his “tatay” and elementary and high school coach Bang Tumapat instilled life lessons in him.
Then he learned the Xs and Os from the veteran coaches: sideline and baseline inbound plays from Pido Jarencio at UST, triangle offense from Jeff Cariaso at Ginebra, pass-and-cut concepts from Koy Banal at Barako Bull, off-a-timeout plays from Jong Uichico, early ball screens from Siot Tanquingcen, clever plays from Platinum Karaoke assistant coach Matthew Sia, and 3x3 expertise from Eric and Anton Altamirano.
Ababou, however, is a strong advocate of the European style of play, getting his lessons from former Gilas coach Rajko Toroman.
“Lahat ng Amerikano dito, syempre American system sila, a lot of one-on-one, puro dribble, dribble. Syempre kung hindi ka kasing-athletic nila LeBron [James], hindi pwede yun,” said Ababou, a 6-foot-3 small forward who once dropped 44 points in the RSJ’s 176-144 loss to the Veterans in the 2012 PBA All-Star game in Laoag.
“Yung European system, very team-oriented. Hindi mo kailangan ball-heavy, ball-dominant, more of team concept. At the same time, hindi natin pinapabayaan yung individual skillset.”
“Nakita mo naman success ng European style,” he continued. “Pag nanood ka ng Olympics o World Cup, kahit best players ng Team USA padala nila, nahihirapan pa rin sila sa European basketball, so yun yung aking inii-stress na kailangan talaga a lot of ball movement, a lot of actions bago tayo tumira.”
Ababou wants to be like Jimmy Alapag, who’s now the Sacramento Kings player development coach – an assistant coach who focuses on skills training.
“Marami namang magaling magturo ng basketball, pero wala masyado yung personal coaching, minsan nga, mas gusto ko yung isang bata lang, although maganda kung tatlo, apat para may partner sila.”
Seeing potential in a handful of his academy enrollees makes Ababou fulfilled.
One female student in Jocelyn Melendez, the star for Tulare, has received offers from Arizona, New York, and Italy. He believes she is destined for big things.
“Kaya niya mag-WNBA,” he said of Melendez, a Mexican-American prospect who he has been training since 2020. “Napakasipag. Ibang klase yung dedication. Parang nakikita ko sa kanya yung mga sipag nila Mark Barroca, Mark Yee, Allein Maliksi. Talagang 5 a.m. pa lang, may ginagawa na. so sabi ko, ‘tututukan ko ‘to.’”
A behavioral science graduate, Ababou also pays attention to those who will eventually tread different paths.
“Laging best effort, kasi yung matututunan mo naman sa basketball, kung hindi ka man mapunta sa NBA, magagamit mo yung character of perseverance, discipline, not losing heart,” he said.
“Magagamit mo kung maging CEO ka na o police. Lahat ng walks of life, magagamit mo yung core values. Hopefully tumatak sa kanilang mga isip.”
And these kids have become family even as Ababou was forced to miss his. That’s because he had to make the sacrifice of going on a long-distance relationship with wife KC for a year, before getting reunited late last year. Both are working to get their green cards.
Ababou has no plan to go on a Philippine vacation for now.
“Ayaw ko din putulin yung development ng mga bata,” said Ababou, who lives with his Pinay mom Rose and stepdad Frank.
Ababou admits to having some regrets about his own development that was cut short by injuries.
“Oo, syempre may mga ganun. Pero I left everything on the floor na talaga. Hanggang ganun na lang talaga. Kaya accept.”
He still gets to sweat it out from time to time, playing in one-day Filipino tournaments once in three months with former PBA players.
“Pero hangga’t makakaiwas, umiiwas ako. Kasi pag naglaro ako, oras sana yun na makapag-training ako sa mga bata eh. Kaya bihirang-bihira.”
After all, he’s now at home as a coach.
“Gusto ko mag-share sa mga bata kung ano yung pwede makatulong sa kanila to be great. Sabi nga ni Kobe [Bryant], ‘The most important thing is to inspire others to be great.’
”Marami kasing secrets sa success, pero very motivated ako na i-share sa kanila na ganito yung dapat niyong gawin.”
“Basically, you’re trying to transform the well-being of kids, trying to share something that will help them be successful in the field they choose,” he said.
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