One small step for Kevin Quiambao, one giant leap for Philippine basketball.
The legendary DLSU Green Archer is putting his fate into his own hands, flying to the U.S. in an attempt to secure a spot in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In the grand scheme of things in the basketball world, this hardly makes a dent. But for the Philippines, this means everything.
It’s the latest attempt by a homegrown prospect to make it to the NBA—a feat that no one has accomplished to this day. Yes, players of Filipino descent–Raymond Townsend, Jordan Clarkson, and Jalen Green–have made it to the league, but someone rising through the local ranks to reach the NBA would represent a collective triumph for the entire basketball-crazed nation.
Recently, Ray Parks Jr. and Kai Sotto both suited up in the NBA Summer League, though they did not make it all the way to an actual NBA roster. Quiambao still has to earn a spot on a summer league team when he arrives in the U.S., but given his recent form, it should not be difficult to find a team willing to take a chance on him.
After winning back-to-back UAAP Most Valuable Player trophies with La Salle, Quiambao moved on to the Korean Basketball League. In Korea, he suited up for the Goyang Sono Skygunners and quickly emerged as one of their top players. The team is reportedly supportive of Quiambao’s NBA bid which is an encouraging sign.
The 6’6 forward’s chances of making it to an actual NBA roster may be slim, yet with his track record of hard work, dedication, and overcoming expectations, he should never be counted out. Beyond his statistics in his previous stops, what’s encouraging about Quiambao’s bid is that he has consistently put in the work. He successfully made the transition from a big man in high school into the more perimeter-oriented forward that he is today which basketball purists know is no small feat.
However, one hurdle for Quiambao is his age. At 23 years old, he is still a young man in the eyes of the world and even in Philippine basketball terms, albeit in the global scene, he is already at an advanced stage. This is one aspect of the basketball development cycle where the local system fails its players—the unattractive landscape of Philippine professional basketball incentivizes them to stay longer in the much more popular collegiate leagues. Given this, if Quiambao can earn a spot on a summer league team, he will have to prove from the get-go that he is already NBA-ready rather than a mere project.
For reference, the Los Angeles Lakers’ rookie Dalton Knecht is three days older than Quiambao, but was already considered an older candidate during last year’s NBA Draft. It will definitely be an uphill climb for Quiambao, though if there’s any Filipino player today who can handle it, it’s him.
A homegrown Filipino making it to the NBA has long been the country’s collective dream. Today, Quiambao is the closest one to achieving this dream and is now pursuing it not just for himself, but for the entire nation. The odds may not be in his favor, but his belief is unwavering. And in a journey this bold, sometimes belief in oneself is all it takes to make history.
