KJ McDaniels earned a second tour of duty for Meralco and will reinforce the Bolts in the coming PBA Governors Cup.
Coach Norman Black confirmed the team is bringing back McDaniels for the season-ending conference.
“Yes, he will be back,” said Black, adding the former NBA player is set to arrive on Jan. 3.
See: KJ McDaniels gets Meralco coaches' nod for Governors' Cup stint
Initially, Black and his coaching staff reached a consensus to bring in McDaniels back, but said the team ‘still have to clear it with upper management.’
McDaniels averaged 27.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in the six games he played for Meralco as an undersized import in the Commissioner’s Cup.
He was a late replacement for Johnny O’Bryant and immediately towed the Bolts to three straight wins – including one against top see Bay Area Dragons – to keep their playoffs hopes alive.
But the Bolts faltered in the stretch, losing their last three games as well including a 92-81 heartbreaker against NLEX and failed to reach the quarterfinals. In the NLEX game, Meralco led by as many as 18 at the break, but couldn’t keep the momentum going.
This will be the third Governors Cup stint for the 29-year-old McDaniels after TNT in 2019 and NLEX in 2021.
Both the Tropang Giga and Road Warriors reached the semifinals of the meet with him as their import, although he didn’t see action for NLEX in the playoffs after steering the team as the no. 2 seed at the end of the eliminations.
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