STEPHEN Holt may have been a no-show in the 2023 PBA Draft as Terrafirma's top overall pick, but he is fully committed to this career chift.
READ: Stephen Holt, Christian David, Luis Villegas top 3 picks in PBA Draft
Hearing his name called first all the way from his hometown of Portland, Oregon, the 31-year old Fil-Am veteran said playing in the PBA has always been high on his career goals.
“(It’s) definitely one of my goals in my career to play in the PBA. You know I started out my career trying to pursue my NBA dream. It fell a little bit short but then I was able to have a long career in Europe and played in some high-level leagues," the No. 1 pick said.
The 6-foot-4 guard revealed how he swiftly grabbed the chance to secure a Philippine passport once it became a possibility back in June, even if it meant declining offers from European teams.
He became eligible after the PBA lifted the age limit of 30 for draft aspirants.
“The opportunity came about in June for me to get my Philippine passport. I talked with my agent all this time and it was a no-brainer for me to take advantage of that and make the jump over to the PBA," Holt said.
“I had to fully commit, turn down a bunch of European offers this summer, and really just want to commit to the PBA for this upcoming year so I’m very excited," he added.
Having played as an import in six countries prior to the Philippines with a Czech Republic National Basketball League (NBL) title under his belt, Holt shared what he will bring to the table as the newest Dyip cager.
“I’m a two-way player. I’m committed on both ends of the floor, defensively and offensively. I’m known for being a shooter. I’m pretty athletic, can rebound, and get to the basket. I’m definitely gonna try and make an impact on and off the floor," Holt shared.
Ahead of his PBA debut on Nov. 5, Holt was previously an All-Second Team member in the Australian NBL with brief playing stints in both the NBA G-League and NBA Summer League.
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