THE age was worth the risk.
Despite being already 33 years old when Jason Brickman applied for the PBA Draft, Meralco didn’t hesitate to take him in when the opportunity presented itself to the team.
The Fil-Am guard ended up as the Bolts’ first round pick in the Season 50 draft, being selected seventh overall.
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Head coach Luigi Trillo said Brickman’s age didn’t become an issue for the team when they made the decision to pick him.
“Jason fell in the draft to us at the seventh pick, and although we had the oldest team in the PBA at the time of the draft, when you round off our team’s age, we still chose to draft him despite his age,” the Meralco mentor said.
“We had to draft Jason and take that risk because of his body of work as a pro.”
After a long wait, the well-rounded guard out of Long Island University is set for his Meralco debut in the EASL Home and Away Season 3 where the Bolts face a must-win – and more – situation against the Ryukyu Golden Kings to advance in the playoffs for the first time.
Brickman has a long experience of playing pro ball since 2014 that has taken him around the world, in places like Russia, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taipei.
He also previously suited up for Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League, and just recently, with the Abra North Weavers team which he helped steer to its maiden MPBL championship.
In college, Brickman also made a name for himself in the US NCAA Division 1, which he led in assists in 2013 and 2014, eventually becoming just the fourth player in league history to record a total of 1,000 assists.
By the time he was through with college, he became just the second player in Division annals to average in double figures in points and assists in the same season after former NBA player Avery Johnson.
“He’s an experienced veteran, so he’s not exactly a rookie,” said Trillo of Brickman. “It’s kind of like (Caelan) Tiongson of Rain or Shine, who fell to sixth in the draft because of his age din.”
Actually, Tiongson was also picked at no. 7 by the Elasto Painters in the Season 49 draft when he was already 32 years old.
And like Tiongson with the Elasto Painters, Brickman’s versatility should also augur well for the Bolts.
“He brings a lot to the table,” stressed Trillo about Brickman, who was signed to a one-year contract.
“Hopefully, he can adjust right away and adapt to the PBA, EASLs, and BCL’s type of play. In the PBA there are a lot of the top teams that have a lot of depth in their lineup. We have to try to keep at pace and I think Jason’s decision making on the court elevates our team decision making. He makes our roster now have more depth.”
Brickman and the Bolts battle the visiting Ryukyu Golden Kings this Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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