CHICAGO - As first reported by SPIN.ph, Ricci Rivero has signed a contract extension with the Phoenix Fuel Masters.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed but team manager Paul Bugia was ecstatic about keeping one of the Fuelmasters' primary pieces.
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"Ricci has so much potential. I had a short chat with him earlier and told him that he is a big part of the team's plans."
A crossover star who also dabbles in acting and modeling, the 6-foot-1 shooting guard was picked 17th overall by Phoenix in the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft after a decorated UAAP career where he won championships with both La Salle and U.P.
Despite averaging just 16 minutes and 32 seconds in 10 Philippine Cup games with three starts, Rivero averaged a solid 6.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per. He was also one of the league's top 3-point shooters, hitting 9-of-22 for a high 40.9 percent clip.
"He's already athletic and a skilled player, he doesn't need to do so much each time. Just be consistent with the little things and he can be a great player for our team, even as a starter," Bugia added.
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