Amid Blackwater's struggles, Andre Paras looks to NBA star Klay Thompson for inspiration
MANILA, Philippines — There is much more than what meets the eye for Andre Paras as he signed on to become an ambassador for China-based brand ANTA here in the Philippines.
Because the second-generation basketball star draws parallels to his fellow ANTA athlete Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA — in the way that they have both encountered adversity in their respective basketball careers.
Thompson saw his life on the hardcourt rocked with season-ending injuries.
Paras, for his part, is also struggling as his team, the Blackwater Bossing, have yet to break out of a 20-game losing streak.
But now, as Thompson's fans await his return, Paras is looking to him to pattern himself not just on the court, but also off of it in his return.
"I really want to compare myself to Klay because he's my idol when it comes to playing. He's a team player, but you're not going to notice... He actually scores, he contributes so much to the team, he's a silent killer in a way," Paras told Philstar.com.
"Klay Thompson really takes his time when he plays, he knows his role — catch and shoot, doesn't dribble much," he added.
The three-time NBA All-Star's grit and skills serve as an inspiration for Paras, who continues to build his own name in the PBA.
"Just by watching his game, I'm sure a lot of the younger generation will see him and want to play the sport. So people get more inspired to know that 'Hey, we don't have to be that athletic, or we don't have to be very fancy to play the game'," Paras said.
"Just having a role model like Klay Thompson and Gordon Hayward, I think that's a really huge thing for ANTA and for the next generation of basketball players as well," he added.
As for what happens behind the scenes with the Bossing, Paras bared that the team is still hard at work and is hungry more than ever for a win.
"There are a lot of things people don't know because all they see is the game, but when we prepare, we always prepare for battle and that's basketball," said Paras.
Paras and the Bossing have a chance to finally barge back into the win column on Saturday against the Phoenix Super LPG.
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