MOST wide-eyed rookies get their baptism of fire from physical opponents.
But Rey Nambatac got his from the unlikeliest of his Rain or Shine teammates.
When Spin.ph associate editor Gerry Ramos asked him where he got his “Welcome to the PBA moment” during the Fastbreak segment to cap his SPIN Zoom In guesting, Nambatac didn’t have to think twice before mentioning retired Elasto Painter Chris Tiu.
Rey Nambatac on getting toughened by Tiu
“Akala ko kasi mabait si kuya Chris, pero hindi pala.” Nambatac said with chuckle.
It has been an open secret around the PBA community that Tiu, far from his choir-boy looks, can engage in physical antics – when he has to.
And Nambatac was unfortunately on the receiving in a scrimmage in practice during his freshman year in 2017.
“Binigyan niya ako ng isa sabay sorry,” Nambatac said of Tiu. “Tapos mula noon, hindi ko na siya makalimutan eh.”
Like Nambatac, Tiu is the seventh overall pick in his draft class in 2012, carving out a six-year PBA career that saw him become part of the 2013 All-Rookie team and win a championship in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
Nambatac, for his part, has steadily progressed in his four years in the league, emerging as the E-Painters’ go-to guy and averaging a career-high 14 points on 37-percent shooting in 32 minutes over nine games in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup.
That’s how Tiu can toughen you.
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