Of the eight, only Valenzuela made his pro debut in the last conference. The Allen Iverson look-alike averaged 1.4 points and 5.4 minutes in five of Ginebra’s 29 games.
Kings coach Siot Tanquingcen said Valenzuela is an unrestricted free agent with the right to receive compensation from Ginebra as a practice player along with Marlon Basco and Chris Nicdao.
Abuda is undergoing therapy after a knee operation and helps out the Coca-Cola coaching staff. He’s not in the Tigers lineup.
Johnson, 25, is the surprise absentee. His Purefoods contract expired at the end of the Fiesta Conference and was renewed for a month to allow his participation at the All-Star Week in Cebu last August.
The Wizard retained his Obstacle Challenge crown and was among the last three survivors in the horse-type competition won by Brandon Cablay during the All-Star festivities. Applauding his performance from the stands was his mother Erlinda Sales who flew in from Nebraska.
His father Ronnie was a US Air Force serviceman stationed at Clark Air Base when he met his mother who is from Calbayog, Samar. They were married in Angeles City. Their first two children were born at Clark. Johnson, the youngest, was born in the US after his father was reassigned to the US.
Johnson and his mother visited relatives in Calbayog before proceeding to Cebu. His mother has two brothers and two sisters living in Samar.
Johnson was Ginebra’s third round pick in the 2003 PBA draft. He shot at a 1.9 clip and hit .929 from the line in 20 games for the Kings as a rookie. Johnson moved to Purefoods for the Fiesta Conference and didn’t do badly, raising his scoring norm to 5.4 (a fraction higher than Alvin Patrimonio’s). He started in 13 of 18 games, occasionally impressing the fans with his flashy no-look dishes.
But Hot Dogs coach Ryan Gregorio saw no future for Johnson in Purefoods. Johnson understood the situation and didn’t howl when he got the pink slip.
"I knew it was coming," said Johnson. "Coach explained he needed more big men and that’s why he recruited Zaldy (Realubit) and Mike (Hrabak). For me, it was a blessing because it opened new doors for me. I grew up a lot in the PBA. I realized I still have a lot of learning to do."
Johnson sought San Miguel All-Stars project director Eric Altamirano’s advice on what to do next.
"I checked with other PBA teams and I was told their rosters were full," said Johnson. "I thought of going back to Nebraska, maybe to play in some leagues. Then, I’d try to get back in the PBA next year. But coach Eric suggested for me to stay and stick around for whatever comes my way."
Sure enough, an invitation came for Johnson to play for the Ateneo-Addict Mobile team in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL). Another former Purefoods player Jenkins Mesina is on the squad.
"I’m excited to play for Ateneo because it’s a team that can use me," said Johnson whose closest friends are Alex Compton and Noy Castillo. "It’s a great opportunity for me since coach Norman (Black) is on the team as a consultant and I know I’ll learn a lot from him. We’ve got six Ateneo players plus guys like Christian Luanzon, Jenkins, Gabby Espinas and Jam Alfad."
Then came a call from two friends opening up a health bar and restaurant at the Adidas Sports Kamp in Global City. Digging into his basketball earnings, Johnson invested a "small sum" in the venture. It was another reason for Johnson to stay.
But the luckiest break was getting a call to visit noted ophthalmologist Dr. Arnold Salud in his 19th floor clinic at the new Medical City on Ortigas. Dr. Salud’s father Rudy, the former PBA commissioner, arranged for Johnson’s examination when he heard the Fil-Am had only 50 percent vision in his left eye.
Dr. Salud, who trained for two years at the world’s leading eye facility in Nagoya, has performed surgery on a slew of athletes, including Realubit for a detached retina. His list of clients reads like a who’s who in Philippine society–former President Ramos, Leo Prieto, Rey Marquez, Aniano Desierto, Hermie Rivera, Bert Cuevas and Jerry Barican.
After examination, it was determined that Johnson is unfit for prescription glasses because the disparity of vision in both eyes was extreme. His right eye is almost perfect while his left has a negative astigmatism rating of 500. Dr. Salud suggested two options for Johnson–wear a contact lens on his left eye or undergo laser surgery to correct the curvature of his cornea.
Dr. Salud was surprised that despite the left eye defect, Johnson was able to play at a high level in the PBA.
"I’ve had the problem with my left eye since middle school when I was like 14," said Johnson who lives in a studio flat in a high-rise condo on EDSA. "But I let it go because my right eye was good. My peripheral vision suffered and I coped with a blind spot. Now that Dr. Salud is looking after me, I think I’ll play much better since I’ll see better. I hope my shooting improves. I’ll have a better perspective of the floor, that’s for sure."
If surgery is necessary, Johnson will go under Dr. Salud’s knife this Friday at the American Eye Institute. Then he leaves for Nebraska on Sunday to attend his best friend’s wedding. Johnson will be back here after a week to resume practicing with the Ateneo squad.