WHEN TNT rookie Jielo Razon suited up his first-ever game against Barangay Ginebra during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations last January 17, the rookie was over the moon as he shared the court with two other fellow Perpetual Help alumni.
On his side was Kim Aurin, a former teammate during his NCAA days with the Altas. On the other side was Barangay Ginebra star Scottie Thompson, also a former Altas star who was team manager during Razon’s final year with the school.
READ Jielo Razon signed to one-year contract by TNT
It was a surreal feeling for the 25-year-old.
“Sobrang saya kasi lalo kami ni Kim, nagsabay kami sa Perps. Kami talaga magkasama. Sobrang saya na parehas kaming umakyat sa pro tapos sa same team pa kami. Medyo hindi na kami nagkakapaan. Mag-tinginan lang, alam na,” said Razon.
On Thompson, Razon said: “Inabutan ko pa siya as manager namin nung last year ko. Malaking tulong din si Kuya Scott lalo na nung last season ko kasi tinutulungan niya ako sa mga games namin sa NCAA, sa mga reads, ganyan."
Undrafted Razon vies for PBA title
The Barangay CAA, Las Piñas City native will have a chance to be on the court again with Thompson and Aurin when TNT battles Ginebra in the 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals starting on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Being on the active roster and playing two games during the playoffs, Razon is eligible to play in his first PBA Finals after signing up with TNT last December.
That's one stroke of good luck for the 5-foot-11 guard, who admitted feeling down about going undrafted in the Season 49 draft last July 14, 2024 even after a strong showing in college and in the MPBL where he was the top scorer of the Paranaque Patriots.
But sadness turned to happiness, tenfold, when he got the call from the TNT to become a practice player, and eventually a member of the active roster five months later after finishing his MPBL season with the Patriots.
He was signed one month after TNT claimed the Governors’ Cup title over Barangay Ginebra,
“Sobrang saya kasi hindi ko rin inexpect talaga. Simula nung draft day, parang hindi naman ako nalungkot, parang sinurrender ko na lang lahat kay God na siguro may mas magandang plano,” said Razon.
That career performance in the MPBL came on July 15, 2024, or exactly a day after the PBA draft, when Razon dropped 34 points while shooting 5 of 11 from threes, and adding five rebounds and five assists in the Patriots’ 97-94 win over Mindoro.
“Oo, nag-career high ako sa MPBL. Siyempre may gigil factor ‘yun,” said Razon when asked if his performance that day had something to do with being undrafted. “Hindi ako nakatulog nung gabi na ‘yun (night of the draft) kasi parang nabigo ko ‘ynug family ko sa pangarap nila sa akin.
“Tapos kinabukasan, tinawagan ako ng agent ko si Boss Danny Espiritu. Sinama na ako sa training camp ng Talk ‘N Text. Tuloy tuloy na.”
Razon feels truly blessed
“Sobrang bilis lang. Two days lang, tinawagan ako ng Talk ‘N Text. Talagang sinurrender ko lang lahat kay God na ‘yung plano Niya sa akin. Sobra-sobrang pasasalamat ko sa Talk ‘N Text na binigyan nila ako ng tiwala,” said Razon.
Razon is now savouring his time with TNT as one of the bench guys who contributed to the Tropang Giga's run to the finals.
He has played 14 games so far at about seven minutes a game. In that game against Ginebra in the eliminations, Razon had three points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 10 minutes and 32 seconds of action.
Razon is more determined than ever to keep his roster spot by playing hard in every second he spends on the floor and trying to learn new things especially from the veterans, including Jayson Castro, a player that he watched when he was young.
“Lagi ako sa kanya humihingi ng advice. Sobrang laking tulong. Sobrang galing. Pinapanood ko lang siya dati nung bata ako,” said Razon.
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