TWO weeks before his long-awaited debut in the UAAP juniors, when everything was finally within reach, Maco Dabao’s season - and seemingly his future, as well - collapsed in an instant.
A torn ACL in a tune-up game erased his Season 85 campaign before it even began. For most young talents, it would have been a breaking point.
For Dabao, it became the beginning.
Long before he rose to stand as No. 2 in the NBTC's annual rankings of the top 24 under-19 players in the Philippines, the 5-foot-11 playmaker was simply walking the halls of De La Salle Zobel, already tied to the game in a deeply personal way.
His father Arthur Jonathan, a former Adamson player who played in Season 53 and whose career was cut short by the same injury, became his earliest influence.
“My dad really inspires me a lot,” the younger Dabao shared with SPIN.ph.
By age 15, he had earned a spot on the Jr. Archers' lineup for Season 85, ready to take the leap. But the injury had other plans.
“It was supposed to be one-year recovery. But I took my rehab super seriously,” he said.
And so, eight months later, he was cleared. Two months after that, he was back in contact play.
Still, the comeback wasn’t immediate.
“My confidence was very low,” he admitted. “I was trying to be safe. I wasn’t doing my best, I wasn’t performing.”
“Coming from an injury, you want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
But when doubt crept in, Dabao leaned on something stronger than confidence - belief from the people around him.
As he put it, “The help of my parents, they believed in me so much. I told myself every game, no regrets, give everything I’ve got.”
That mantra became his anchor through his rookie year in Season 86.
Season 87 then tested him in a different way. Playing alongside superstar Kieffer Alas who joined DLSZ late because of his tours of duty for Gilas Pilipinas Youth, Dabao had to adjust - not just his game, but his role.
And in the end, the green-and-white fell short once more. But Dabao chose to see it differently, saying, “We learned a lot. I just kept learning from it.”
Maco breaks out
That growth finally came to the fore in Season 88.
With Alas moving on, Dabao found himself stepping into a leadership role, both in words and in actions.
“With the help of coach G (Gian Nazario), the coaching staff, and my teammates, they believed in me,” he said.
That belief proved to be fuel to his already-burning fire, as he turned in per game counts of 17.3 points, including a total of 27 threes, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.1 assists - a breakout that also led to a breakout for the Jr. Archers, who returned to the Final Four for the first time since 2017.
“It just feels good. It took me three seasons to make it there,” he stated.
When the milestone was secured, Dabao immediately looked beyond himself.
“When we clinched, Kieff messaged me, and I told him this was for him,” he expressed.
Now with his high school career coming to a close, Dabao stands on the brink of another transition - one that comes with both pressure and promise.
“Just keep doing what I’m doing. Just keep working hard and it will pay off,” he said, talking about the next step in his young career.
Collegiate offers have already began to surface, though Dabao has chosen to keep away from all the noise by letting his father handle the process.
Nonetheless, his aspirations are crystal clear.
“Ever since, I’ve always wanted to play for La Salle,” he exclaimed, a Lasallian through and through.
He then added, "And if there's a chance, I also want to play for UP."
Wherever he ends up, Dabao knows the next level will test him in a new ways, But if there’s one thing his journey has proven, it’s that he can - and will - take on the challenge head-on.
For someone who has already faced the fragility of the game, his outlook is firm.
“No matter how hard life can get. Just keep going,” he said. “If you feel like giving up, make that a reminder to push even harder.”
From injury to impact, from doubt to distinction, Dabao’s story is still unfolding.
And through it all, one principle remains constant:
“No regrets.”
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