CHICAGO - An athlete since he was eight years old, Mikey Williams had always led a disciplined life that is almost militaristic in its approach.
On Sunday night, he allowed his well-manicured hair down to celebrate the career milestone of being picked fourth overall in the 2020 PBA Rookie Draft.
Gathering his closest friends, including dad Kurtiz and siblings JR and Kaela, he hosted a low-key party at a swanky lair somewhere in the 818 Los Angeles Area code.
The next day, though, it was back quickly to the grind.
Gym. Eat. Nap. Gym. And then more gym.
Somewhere along that tedious, monotonous routine, he spoke to SPIN.ph for a post-draft interview.
Mikey confessed that so many thoughts pierced through his mind that not even a super computer could have processed it all at once.
There was a sense of relief that the hard work has led him to this point and that the sacrifices have paid off with a golden ticket to Asia's most prestigious play-for-pay league.
And there was a pinch of sadness, too.
He thought of his mom, Angelica Baldo, who passed away of colon cancer at age 50 in 2016.
"I just feel a little emptier that she isn't here to witness all this. She would have been really proud and happy for me and our whole family."
Mikey and his dad had always been as tight as a steep curve and that relationship comes as a convenience at a time when he must now navigate this world minus one caring parent who willingly provides that precious life raft of guidance and unconditional love.
"It's a long time coming," Pops told me. "Carry on the journey and take care of being a professional."
Which is exactly what the 29-year old from North Hollywood, California intends to do. And he has this message to all the Tropang Giga fans.
"I'LL PUT ON A SHOW."
He said that not to brag, but only to express his ardent joy and overwhelming enthusiasm.

But before any of that entertainment and showmanship can manifest itself on the PBA courts, there is this small thing called a signed contract that needs to be taken care of.
Mikey said he had already spoken to some guy named Gabby Cui of upper management and the extent of their conversation did not wander into the sphere of contracts and that sort of stuff.
He hasn't signed with a certified PBA agent just yet but "Marvin has been taking care of a lot of my stuff already."
Marvin is the son of super agent Danny Espiritu, who currently has 63 active PBA players on his roster.
Danny is the industry's gold standard who is legendary in his dealings with players wherein he seals agreements with a mere handshake while giving clients the liberty to pay his services with whatever amount they deem fair.
That never happens in a cutthroat commerce where the numbers involving commissions, overheads and bottom lines are inherently rigid.
"I'm not worried about any of that. Right now, the goal is to catch a flight back to the Philippines as soon as possible," he emphasized.
A seasoned traveler, Mikey plans to pack "a lot of stuff" in this upcoming trip because there is a sense that unlike his stints at the MPBL and the ABL, this PBA stop is far less nomadic.
One flight. One signed contract. And then a TNT is lit.
Then PBA waits for the explosion.
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