JUST how strange life can be, even in the world of basketball.
Jimmy Alapag surprisingly found a connection right away with NLEX import DeQuan Jones the moment he was named the new head coach of the Road Warriors.
The 48-year-old PBA great is not exactly familiar with the former Orlando Magic until receiving a call from his former Sacramento Kings co-worker on the day he was to personally meet the Road Warriors import for the very first time.
The guy at the other end of the line was Garrius Adams, a fellow player development coach of Alapag while still with the Kings.
“Jimmy, I’m so excited that you are back home,” recalled Alapag of his conversation with the 35-year-old Adams while he was on his way to the NLEX-Blackwater tune-up game. “But I can’t believe that the import for the team that you’re coaching is my best friend.
“I had no idea that DeQuan was best friend with Garrius who I worked with,” he said, adding that he and Adams always sat together on the Sacramento’s team plane.
“It’s funny, because the basketball world is a very small place.”
With one common denominator, Alapag became at ease right away with the 36-year-old import who had a stint with Orlando in the 2012-13 season.
“That was a very easy transition to the conversation that I had with DeQuan,” said the NLEX mentor.
Having known the Road Warriors from his first stint with the franchise in the PBA Governors’ Cup last season, Jones already established camaraderie and chemistry with the team, something which Alapag stressed is a crucial factor in an import-laden conference.
“I’ll used Justin (Brownlee) as an example. His relationship with the players at Ginebra and also the players at Gilas, you can feel the genuine camaraderie and chemistry. And I think that’s always the goal for any team with imports,” he said.
Alapag describes Jones as very humble.
“We had a great conversation,” he said. “The NLEX players they’re excited to have Dequan back. And I’m excited to have the opportunity to coach him.”
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