ASIDE from growing in popularity with his viral brand of internet comedy, Joel Ravanera, more famously known as ‘Malupiton,’ is also slowly gaining the title of celebrity basketball player.
Ravanera has been in a couple of celebrity exhibition games lately, often going viral with his familiar antics and decent highlights against plenty of other influencers and former pros.
In his latest stint, Ravanera graced the halfcourt of the Pilipinas United 3x3 League against another online content creator Rendon Labador’s ‘Team Motivated.’
‘Team Malupiton’ took a one-point 10-11 loss to Labador and crew. But it didn't shatter Ravanera's confidence at all.
“Hindi ko alam na 10 minutes lang. Edi sana [expletive] tinambakan na agad namin na agad sila,” he said, obviously in character with his internet personality.
“Palag palag na ‘yan. Tsaka hindi ako kasi kumain, gutom din ako kaya isa ‘yan sa mga dahilan.”
Even with the loss, Ravanera held his own in his first FIBA-sanctioned tournament appearance, notching a couple of baskets from the elbow, as well as a triple from the middle.
Ravanera shared the court with PUL co-founder Andrew Combate, as well as Richard McCalop Jr. and celebrity actor David Licauco.
But his most notable teammate is undoubtedly La Salle stud Kean Baclaan, who he teamed up with for the first time after being on the opposite end of his previous viral highlights.
”Sabi ko nga kay Kean, [expletive] maging kakampi mo lang ako panalo kana,” he joked.
Kamusta ang buhay-buhay?
Even with him slowly becoming a household name, Ravanera couldn’t have imagined branching out to this type of exposure.
Still, it was right at home for him, as his interest in basketball preceded even the first video they ever made with Kolokoys TV.
“Dati palang. Hindi pa ako nagvivideo, matagal na kaming naglalaro,” he said.
“Nakikipag pustahan pa kami. Hindi naman ako ganung kagalingan, naglalaro lang talaga kami.”
As his popularity grew, he started collaborating with other influencers like CongTV, Ninong Ry, even in a music video with SB19.
But he never would have imagined lacing up with some of the most popular local talents, and being labeled a celebrity basketball player.
“Hindi sumagi sa isip ko ‘yun. Nakakatuwa na ‘yung mga napapanood ko lang dati nakakasama ko na ngayon.”
Celebrity hooper and… SBP Backer?
When asked about what he’s most grateful for with the influence he gained, it was the opportunity to play with some of his favorite current and past players.
Aside from Baclaan, Ravanera also got to play against Jayjay Helterbrand and the Gomez de Liaño brothers.
But more famously, he served as a one-time dynamic duo to Kevin Quiambao—who he, in true Maluputon fashion, he singlehandedly took credit for.
”Kasi gaya niyan si KQ, bata ko ‘yan,” he stated. “Magaling ‘yang bata ko na ‘yan. Hindi makakalaro ng Gilas yan kung hindi ko tinuruan yan,” he continued in jest.
And apart from being more than open to appearing in more celebrity games in the future, he also set his sights in molding another La Salle star into a national team-caliber player.
“Pangalawang tuturuan ko para makalaro sa Gilas si Kean. Kasi once na nahawakan ko na yan, [expletive] sure na ‘yan. Makakalaro talaga yan. Ako yung pinaka backer talaga eh,” he joked.
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