'Poetic' fate for Cone as Ginebra picks RJ Abarrientos, decades since Alaska chose Johnny A

MANILA, Philippines – After more than three decades, Tim Cone has selected another Abarrientos.

Back in 1993, Cone, then with the Alaska Milkmen, drafted the legendary Johnny Abarrientos third overall.

And now, 31 years later, Johnny’s nephew, RJ, was drafted by Barangay Ginebra with the same pick, this time the 2024 PBA Draft. 

Cone on Sunday looked back to 1993 when they had to take “The Flying A” with the third overall pick after missing out on Vic Pablo.

“When we were drafting with Alaska and we had the third pick, there was Jun Limpot at No. 1, Vic Pablo at No. 2, and we were hoping for Vic Pablo, we had No. 3. We were hoping and hoping and hoping for Vic Pablo and they took Vic Pablo,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the draft. 

“We went, 'Oh, man!" We have to take Johnny Abarrientos. And so we took Johnny, and of course, we never looked back,” he added. 

“Now, third pick for RJ, third pick for Johnny, both Abarrientos, so kinda poetic. Nice story, actually.” 

Abarrientos was not at the draft because he is playing for the Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas in the William Jones Cup. 

Johnny represented his nephew after the latter’s name was called. 

The Gin Kings had to trade up for the chance to pick the 24-year-old guard, shipping star big man Christian Standhardinger and veteran guard Stanley Pringle to the Terrafirma Dyip in exchange for leading Rookie of the Year candidate Stephen Holt and reliable stretch big Isaac Go a day before the draft. 

Despite trading away a 6-foot-8 bruising pivot man, Cone said that they just could not pass up somebody like Abarrientos. 

“First of all, it was a really tough pick because there's a lot of good guys in the draft. We were looking at maybe four players that we felt if Baltazar went 1 and Barefield went 2, there was a choice for us about four players that we were looking for. Eventually... We went back and forth, back and forth; one coach liked this guy, another coach liked that guy,” he said. 

“It went on for a few days. But the bottom line was, we just felt that RJ would be an elite player at his position. Maybe even a transcendent player, you know,” he added. 

“He has the potential to be that kind of player. He was just somebody we couldn't pass up.”

Abarrientos spent the past couple of years abroad with stints at the Korean Basketball League and the Japan B.League. 

He earlier starred for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws for one year, where he proved to be one of the brightest young stars of the UAAP. 

While the situation was the same for the two Abarrientos, Cone stressed that the two have different playstyles. 

“They're not exactly the same. I think RJ is more of a lights-out scorer. He could really score. But he has the versatility — he can score, he's also a tremendous passer. He can create just like Johnny could,” he underscored. 

“You know, it's a different game now than it was back then. So it's kinda hard to compare them because they're from different eras. But Johnny, without a doubt, was the best of his era,” he added. 

And while the former KBL Rookie of the Year is still a rookie, the coach emphasized that he will get the opportunity with the Gin Kings to possibly raise to the same level as his uncle. 

“He's gonna get that opportunity with us. We recognize him as a potential star. So, we're giving him that opportunity to try to shine.”