REGILE Kent Ilagan is one of the biggest small men in the PBA today, standing tall with his poise and clutch shooting for Converge.
After all, the sophomore playmaker, who's officially listed at 5’6” ¾ - tied for seventh shortest all time – was toughened from where he came from.
Born in Manila and raised in Bulacan until Grade 5, Ilagan went back to the metro when his parents gave in to his desire to play varsity basketball.
He found himself frolicking in street ball instead.
“Taga-Tondo ako, nasanay ako sa mga haters,” RK beamed in a chat after FiberXers practice. “Iba-ibang barangay namin yan, may mga nagsasabi na hindi ko kaya, ‘Hindi ka makakatungtong ng pro.’ So as akin, ginawa ko lang motivation talaga yung mga negative.”
How Tondo toughened RK Ilagan
“Iniisip ko sa dibdib ko na kaya ko ‘to,” added the Holy Child Catholic School in Tondo product. “Kailangan patunayan ko sa kanila na kahit maliit ako, kahit hindi ako pinagpala sa height, may puso ako. Kaya ko maglaro. Kaya ko gumawa ng mga hindi kaya ng iba.”
As many as his doubters, Ilagan is grateful to have much more believers who had his back and helped him overcome the odds.
“Nung first year high school ako, yung mga kuya ko dun, pinapalaro na ako agad sa mga matatanda. Nasanay na ako sa pisikalan,” Ilagan said, recounting their summer league games. “Nung time na yun, sinasabi lang sa akin na, ‘Tira ka lang ng three points.’ Pero ako, gusto ko kasi masubukan yung pisikalan. So nasanay ako.”
“Pero pag sumobra, magsusumbong lang ako na siniko ako. Tapos babawian nila yun,” he added with a chuckle.
Usually just at the receiving end of extra motion, Ilagan recalled one instance in a semifinal game when his emotions got the better of him and prompted him to retaliate.
“Pagka-siko sa’kin, sinapak ko,” Ilagan admitted. “Pag suntok ko, sabi ko, ‘Mali.’ Kasi ako yung leader nung team tapos sa akin nag start yung ganun. So after nun, thrown out ako, natalo kami. So parang nasa isip ko, nasa akin yung sisi.”
“Dapat dun ko malagay sa isip ko na huwag dapat pairalin ang init ng ulo,” he added. “Pag pinisikal ka, kailangan i-adapt mo lang. Sabi nga nila, pag matapang ka, kailangan marunong ka tumanggap.”
He definitely learned from his predecessors.
“Masaya din na nagkaroon ako ng friends sa Tondo na tinulungan ako para makarating ako dito.”
One of whom is the finest that Tondo has produced in Paul Lee.
“Nung pag pasok ko dito (sa PBA), si kuya Paul talaga nagbibigay ng advice sa’kin, ‘Ito, kailangan mo para magtagal ka sa PBA, para hindi ka mawala agad,’” Ilagan said of the Magnolia star guard, who earned his “Angas ng Tondo” moniker right in his rookie year.
“Grateful ako kay kuya Paul, kasi since high school ako, nagbibigay na siya ng advice,” he added of the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup Finals MVP and 2018 Governors’ Cup Best Player of the Conference.
SEE: 'Ice tubig' bets essential to Tondo basketball story. Paul Lee tells us why
Ilagan needed all the advice he could get as he tried to prove doubters wrong all throughout his career.
He got his first taste of varsity basketball by trying out with the National University Bullpups, but failed to make the cut after messing up a two-ball dribbling drill.
“Hindi pa ako marunong nun. Hindi ako marunong mag-dribble ng dalawang bola. So hindi ako nakuha,” he recounted with a smile.
Then Ilagan had his first tryout with San Sebastian in second year high school. But it wasn’t love at first sight as he missed the cut.
“Magagaling din naman yung kasabay ko. Malalaki din. Ako maliit, so hindi pansinin,” he admitted. “So sabi ko, parang aral na lang ako.”
But things started to turn for the better as Ilagan, through his aunt, got an opportunity in an Alaska Power Camp, playing good enough to make it to the Top 15 for the Jr. NBA under current coach Aldin Ayo.
After back-to-back years introducing himself in the Jr. NBA, Ilagan finally attracted offers, including from University of the East and San Sebastian.
Love was sweeter the second time around as Ilagan chose the Golden Staglets.
But as Ilagan was initially part of a glut of point guards on the roster, coaches advised him to transfer to Hope Christian School in Binondo.
But he stayed on and persevered, before finally getting his due from coach Raymond Valenzona and playing two years with the Staglets.
After spending some time in Team B in college, Ilagan found his Stags break courtesy of coach Egay Macaraya.
“Grateful din ako sa San Sebastian kasi binigyan nila ako ng opportunity since high school to college,” Ilagan said.
“Papuntang college, wala namang offer eh,” he added. “Yung San Sebastian, binigyan ako ng opportunity. Sabi nila, ‘Dito ka na lang, pero Team B ka muna.’ Sabi ko, ‘okay lang po.’ Basta alam ko naman na need ko pa mag-improve. Yun yung ginawa kong motivation, tapos sobrang saya ko na binigyan nila ako ng chance.”
Ilagan has been grateful for the school’s continued trust despite him playing in an unsanctioned game a week before the submission of NCAA eligibility requirements prior to the season that caused him to be slapped with a four-game suspension – and the Stags to forfeit their first two wins in Season 94.
Ilagan, though, has long moved on from that controversy and has wasted no time in announcing his PBA arrival, evidenced by him scoring eight points in less than two minutes in his PBA debut with Alaska in July 2021.
Since then, the 31st overall pick in the 2020 PBA Draft has hit clutch shot after another to build his vaunted reputation.
But the 25-year-old Ilagan insists he’s far from where he wants to be.
“Siguro yung consistency, kasi may araw talaga na mapapagod ka. made-drain ka, so kailangan maging consistent ka sa kung anong gawain mo,” he said. “Kasi may goal ka at may goal kayo ng team mo. So consistency and hard work talaga.”
And that’s what he would tell other pint-sized players who also want to make it big.
“Wag kayong susuko kahit anong mangyari. And i-priority niyo si Lord, kasi siya yung nagbibigay ng lakas sa atin. Kahit anong pagsubok, kahit anong hardship na dumaan sa inyo, kailangan lagi kayong matatag,” he concluded.
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