ANOTHER Dela Rosa is looking to not only make it to the PBA but make a name for himself.
Ry dela Rosa is one of the 70 aspirants who applied in the PBA Season 49 Draft after playing for Jose Rizal University in the NCAA. He is the son of Romy dela Rosa and younger brother of current Magnolia forward Rome.
“They continue to just be there for me in this journey,” said Ry on the support he is getting from his family including his father Romy, who had a nine-year PBA career with Shell and Sta. Lucia. “We all hope that everything goes well.”
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Ry said having finished his studies with JRU with a degree in Marketing made him decide to go pro.
“Just the way life has been kind of going. I was able to graduate from school and I just feel that this is the right step into my future. Of course, it’s been a dream of mine to follow my brother and my dad’s footsteps and I felt like it was a great time as well to kind of join the draft this year,” said the 25-year-old Ry.
On finishing his studies first before applying for the PBA, Ry said: “It’s always been a student first before an athlete. That’s what it was taught in the family. I just want to make them proud as well. I know they would want me to graduate first.”
Ry was one of JRU’s weapons from the outside last year in the NCAA Season 99 where he made 21 three-pointers, fourth-best for the Heavy Bombers on a team that also had Agem Miranda, Marwin Dionisio, and Shawn Argente.
Having applied for the draft, a chance to play with or against his older brother Rome looms if Ry is chosen and signed by a PBA team this season.
Despite an eight-year age gap, Ry has always been close with Rome, the eldest of three siblings, even when they were still living in the US where Romy is now based. Both used to play baseball, eventually shifted to basketball, and played in the NCAA, and playing together in the PBA would be a dream come true, Ry said.
“Actually, my first sport was baseball,” said the former infielder, pitcher, and catcher. “My dad never forced us to play basketball. He wanted us to find what we would want. It was baseball.
“At some point, during elementary, middle school, I shifted my focus to basketball just because my brother, he was here na po in college. I just found that joy na any kid has when they play basketball.”
“We have a great relationship,” said Ry of Rome. “He is a role model of mine. I know I could always go to him for any advice in life, in basketball, and he’s always been there.
“I feel like he has an advantage in a way because he was able to play with Papa when he just got retired from the game. His experience to play with Papa, it’s different. But he has always been helpful, just motivating me. Even though the age gap, we are really close.”
Siblings at Magnolia?
When asked if he has a preferred team in mind, the 5-foot-11 Ry admitted Magnolia would be a perfect scenario in so many ways because of the connections he has with the franchise outside of his brother.
“It’s been brought up the past week or so if me and my brother (would be teammates),” said the San Diego-born player. “We joke about it if we are on the same team.
“And it’s not even just me and my brother playing on the same team knowing that my Tito (Ruben dela Rosa) also played for Magnolia, for Purefoods. And then, coach Glenn (Capacio), he was my coach at JRU, he played for Magnolia din.”
“It would be an honor to don that famous blue and white,” said Ry.
If not Magnolia, he vowed to do his best for the team that picks him.
“My bread and butter has always been my outside shooting, just space the floor. But I’m also be able to give somebody who is going to come in each and everyday willing to learn and work on myself, and continue to be the best version of myself especially on the defensive end, just give whatever I can give to any team and just to learn the system pretty fast, I feel like I’m pretty good at that to pick up what needs to be done,” sad Ry.
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