ONE of the greatest imports to have ever set foot in the PBA will author a new chapter in his Philippine basketball career as Far Eastern University’s head coach for UAAP Season 87.
And he’ll be sure to carry the influence of his longtime Alaska Aces coach Tim Cone, with whom he shared six championships including a historic Grand Slam in 1996, as he takes on the task of rebuilding the Tamaraws’ basketball program.
READ: Sean Chambers is the new FEU Tamaraws head coach
Not only will he look to be as successful a coach Cone was — and still is through his signature ‘triangle offense,’ but he also made a strong vow on the kind of mentor and worker he’ll become when his coaching duties with the Morayta side is in full swing.
“I promise that I’m gonna be Sean Chambers, I’m gonna give my 110 percent. I told the team: ‘No coach is gonna outwork me. I guarantee it. I’m different when it comes to success. Everywhere I went, I won championships from college to high school to the PBA,’” Chambers told Kom Noli Eala in his Power & Play program on Saturday.
“Don’t be surprised because I do have a version of the triangle that I do. It’s gonna be very similar to Tim Cone’s but it has a little bit of a Sean Chambers flair to it.”
Embracing the Alaska bloodline
Cone isn’t the only ex-Alaska figure who’ll be in Chambers’ mind as he begins his first-ever head coaching stint in the Philippines.
The PBA’s winningest import will have another champion Aces star in Johnny Abarrientos to help him call the shots for the Tamaraws beginning Season 87 later this year.
But there was one more central Alaska figure whose ‘blessing’ ultimately ‘sealed the deal’ for Chambers to land the FEU coaching job.
It was no other than ex-Alaska Aces team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, Jr.
“I had a great conversation with boss Anton Montinola and got the chance to meet (athletic director) Mark Molina, the coaching staff with Coach Denok (Miranda). It just fell into the right places. I have to say, FEU has been absolutely wonderful in the way they were dealing with me, working with me, negotiating the contract,” said Chambers.
“I eventually got the blessing of Mr. Freddie Uytengsu that sealed the deal. This is not the first time they came at me, but this is the first time that Mr. Uytengsu was like: ‘Okay, this is a good one for you. I can say you’ll be successful there and they’re gonna look after you,’” he added.
Destiny brought Chambers home
In reminiscing how his Philippine basketball career has panned out through years and decades past, Chambers touched on multiple instances which could've easily stopped and derailed what would become one of the PBA's most successful playing careers.
But for some inexplicable reason, destiny kept Chambers' road to greatness on track — leading him to believe that one way or another, a return to Philippine basketball was already written in the stars.
"It’s all been destiny, my whole life in the Philippines — winning the grand slam (with Alaska) how that happened, coming over when Derek (Hamilton) got in trouble. Just everything that happened in my life in the Philippines, right? When I got hurt back in 1993, there was a chance I couldn’t play anymore but I came back after five games. It was destiny. I came back and played and ended winning five championships in a row.
"It’s always been a plan to come back and have some kind of impact on Philippine basketball. (FEU) just happened to be the right opportunity."
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