EVAN Nelle made sure he's going to the PBA Draft armed to the teeth.
In preparation for the July 14 proceedings at Glorietta in Makati, the guard out of La Salle trained under one of the best guards that Philippine basketball ever produced.
Nelle travelled to Sacramento for basketball sessions with PBA legend Jimmy Alapag.
For about a week, Nelle trained with Alapag and was supervised by strength and conditioning coach Maurice Hernandez of Power Pack Fitness, also in Sacramento.
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Alapag, the 2011 PBA MVP of TNT and Gilas Pilipinas legend, is now the players development coach of the Sacramento Kings.
Nelle also had the chance to work with the Stockton Kings' Tayyab Sahid and got some words of wisdom from the Toronto Raptors' Davion Mitchell.
Charlie Dy, who represents Nelle through VP Global Management, was with the player throughout the training camp.
Dy, a former champion coach before becoming a popular players' agent, said it was Nelle's idea to go to Sacramento and train with Alapag.
"Evan just wants to pick Jimmy's brain, and at the same time, train with Jimmy who knows the Filipino style of coaching," said Dy.
Nelle, 26, is among the early marquee names who applied for the draft.
Collegiate double
He is among the few players to win an NCAA and UAAP championships with the San Beda Red Lions and De La Salle Green Archers.
Nelle also won an NCAA title with the San Beda Red Cubs and was part of the national team that completed a sweep of the 10th SEABA U-18 Championship.
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