JONNEL Policarpio hopes to fill in the heft and height lacking in the NLEX Road Warriors.
The rookie big man agreed to a three-year pact with the Road Warriors on Monday, or two weeks since being selected by the franchise in the first round (No. 6 overall) of the PBA draft.
The NLEX organization welcomed Policarpio with a red carpet as no less than corporate president and general manager Jose Luigi Bautista graced the contract signing on Monday along with team governor Ronald Dulatre.
Also present were coach Jong Uichico, team manager Virgil Villavicencio, and Policarpio's representative Anthony Brodett.
The 6-foot-5 Policarpio, who won a UAAP men’s basketball title in his last playing year with De La Salle, was grateful for the trust shown him by NLEX management.
“Nagpapa-salamat ako sa NLEX kasi kahit ako hindi ko ini-expect na kukunin nila ako kaagad. Tapos ngayon, three years pa ang binigay nila sa akin,” said Policarpio in a statement.
“Talagang susuklian ko yung tiwala na binigay nila sa akin.”
Uichico, also a De La Salle product, sees the big man from Pampanga as part of the team’s future.
“He’ll be an integral part of our team’s future,” he said. “It will take patience from both sides for Jonnel to realize his full potential. As coaches, we want to be the ones who’ll teach him not just on the court, but also off it.”
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