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| Former NBA G-League shot blocker supreme Kylor Kelley is Converge-bound. Ken Blaze/Imagn (file photo) |
MANILA—Although having one of the PBA’s promising frontcourts in Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana, and a legitimate veteran in Calvin Abueva, the Converge FiberXers are looking to add some more teeth in their interior through the acquisition of Kylor Kelley for the Commissioners Cup.
An insider confirmed to Dugout Philippines on Wednesday that the team is already leaning to the seven-foot Kelley ahead of an announcement later this week.
Establishing his presence on the defensive end during his collegiate career, the slotman quickly became Oregon State’s all-time leader in blocks after spending only two seasons with the team following stops with Northwest Christian and Lane Community College.
By the end of his senior year in 2019-20, Kelley was second in the whole country while leading the Pacific 12 conference with 3.45 blocks per game.
He also tallied 11.1 points and 5.3 boards per contest while being named to the Pac-12’s All-Defensive Team for the second straight season.
Splitting time between NBA G-League teams Austin Spurs, Maine Celtics, Raptors 905 and South Bay Lakers, as well as foreign pro clubs in Europe and Canada following the end of his varsity tenure, Kelley remained consistent as a defensive stalwart, becoming his passport to play at the highest level of professional basketball.
After leading the entire G League in blocks with an average of 2.9 swats per game in 29 matches with Maine to go along with 8.4 points and 6.4 boards, and being named to the league’s All-Defensive Team during the 2023-24 season, Kelley went on to appear in 11 games for the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans in the 2024-25 season.
Returning to the G-League, Kelley would spend two seasons with the South Bay Lakers, in which he would register his best outing during the 2024-25 season.
In 18 games played, the 28-year old pivot averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds to go along with his 2 blocks per outing.
While he may not be a traditional big man that relies on a back to the basket game, Kelley is a legitimate lob threat and roller to the rim, being able to finish off pick and roll situations with ease.
He has shown ability to run the floor, which is an asset to Converge’s transition game expected to be led by Juan Gómez de Liaño and Abueva.
More importantly, Kelley has been a proven anchor on defense, and this is where Converge expects him to significantly contribute to complement the inside scoring of its twin towers in Arana and Baltazar, with the team looking to book its first semifinal appearance in franchise history.
