Japeth won’t give up NBA dream

MANILA, Philippines - Talk ‘N’ Text forward Japeth Aguilar intends to return to the PBA in time for the second conference but isn’t giving up on his dream of someday making it to the NBA. At the moment, the 6-9 Aguilar is employed as one of three practice players by the Santa Cruz Warriors, an NBDL team affiliated with the Golden State Warriors. The former Ateneo and Western Kentucky cager may be elevated to the Santa Cruz regular roster at any time by coach Nate Bjorkgren so the possibility remains that before the NBDL season ends on April 6, he could be called up.

Aguilar, 25, was recently in Las Vegas to watch the fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez. He was with former PBA cagers Kenneth Duremdes, Django Rivera, Boyet Francisco and Val Vilarias. Aguilar took time off in the weekend with the Warriors away on a road trip.

During the offseason, Aguilar flew to the US and participated in private workouts conducted by NBA scouts with the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets. Last November, he was picked on the seventh round by the Warriors in the NBDL draft, the 109th choice of 139 players.

There were 19 players in the final Santa Cruz tryouts and Aguilar made the cut when Bjorkgren trimmed the roster to 13, including three practice players. Aguilar said the Warriors maintain a 10-man regular lineup. The Warriors website, however, listed 11 in the cast, including former PBA import Maurice Baker. The Warriors were previously known as the Dakota Wizards and three of their players tapped to join the NBA in recent years were Iran center Hamed Haddadi, Baker and former PBA import Sean Lampley. 

“I’ve told our coach that I might be going back to the PBA,” said Aguilar who has beefed up to boost his weight to an imposing 265 pounds. “Now isn’t the right time because it’s in the middle of the conference but I hope to be back for the second conference so if I go home, I’ll miss the rest of the NBDL season. My rights are with Talk ‘N’ Text so while I still don’t have a contract, Talk ‘N’ Text has the right of first refusal. I’m told there are at least two PBA teams asking about me, Global Port and Air 21. I don’t know if Talk ‘N’ Text will trade my rights but if they don’t, I’m comfortable with coach Norman (Black). I’m familiar with his style. I played for him at Ateneo and in my season with Talk ‘N’ Text, he was with the coaching staff. I’m excited to play for coach Norman.”

Aguilar said even as a practice player, he’s not sure of a call-up to the regular roster. “I don’t join the team in road trips,” he said. “But I get to play with the guys at practice and I’m learning a lot. If any of our regular guys get a call-up to the NBA, it doesn’t mean our practice players are automatically elevated because there are guys getting assigned by NBA teams, too. It’s not easy making it to the next level but I’m hoping someday to make it.”

Aguilar said after the PBA season ends, he intends to go back to the US and try out for the NBA and NBDL all over again. It could mean signing a PBA contract only for two conferences.

“With the Warriors, I’m playing mostly four and sometimes, three,” said Aguilar. “I’m learning a lot of things which I can bring to the PBA. This is my chance to play in the NBA and NBDL. My total focus right now is basketball, no dating, no girls. I want to learn as much as I can at my age because I might not get another opportunity like this.”

Aguilar said he stays alone in a hotel in Santa Cruz, near Monterrey. His parents live in Chicago. It’s a hard life playing in the shadows of others as a practice player but Aguilar is willing to sacrifice, driven by the dream of someday becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA.

Aguilar was the first overall choice in the 2009 PBA draft. He played a game for Burger King in 2009-10, sat out the rest of the season and the next to join Gilas full-time then went back to the PBA with Talk ‘N’ Text last campaign, averaging 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocked shots and 15.4 minutes in 52 games.