Darryl Dawkins to aspiring Pinoy ballers: "Just play"

NBA legend Darryl Dawkins (fourth from the right) says that aspiring Filipino
basketball players should continue to play to make it to the league.
Ivan Saldajeno

By Ivan Saldajeno

Darryl Dawkins has a message to the Filipinos aspiring to play in the NBA.

"If you can play, if you come out and play somebody, you're in the team," the NBA legend told the press at the NBA Cafe in Taguig City.

He cited his case and the cases of Greece and Argentina as examples of how the Philippines can make waves in America's premier basketball league.

He also said not to listen to people saying, "You're not gonna make it," and continue to think otherwise.

He also shared his experience being with PBA legends Robert Jaworski, Vince Hizon, and Bong Alvarez.

Dawkins coached both Hizon and Alvarez in the USBL for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs.

"The good thing about having Bong and Vince was that whatever I told them, they followed. It was good. We did win a championship," Dawkins relayed of his experience with the two former PBA stars.

Asked about his reaction after Hizon was assigned as an assistant coach for the Adamson Soaring Falcons in the UAAP, Dawkins, who played power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers, said, "Nobody had to tell me Vince would be a coach. If you play point guard or shooting guard, you're likely going to be a coach."

"I wish the best of luck to him," Dawkins concluded, implying that he is glad about Hizon's new role.