For much of his first two PBA seasons, Zavier Lucero was largely defined by his athleticism. That was evident during his two seasons with the UP Fighting Maroons and there were no doubts that it would translate to a solid PBA career. 

But now, there are indications he has taken the next step in the 2025 Honda PBA Philippine Cup. 

Lucero led the Magnolia Hotshots in scoring in all the 2025 Philippine Cup games thus far, with his latest performance against the San Miguel Beermen revealing not just his improved ability to contribute in various ways, but also his maturity over the last two years. The Hotshots were playing from behind for much of the game, and Lucero’s efforts were, among others, what spelled the difference between a 3-0 and a 2-1 record.  

There’s more nuance to Lucero’s approach with how he attacks the basket and it helps prevent him from getting stuffed at the rim. That’s a big reason why the fifth overall pick in the 2023 PBA Draft averaged 21.0 points a quarter into the All-Filipino conference. Lucero’s 3-point shooting has also been a welcome development, and while shooting 46.2 percent from behind the 3-point line may not be sustainable, it’ll make the driving lanes wide open going forward. 

However, Lucero will need to work on his free throw shooting, which has been a glaring weakness thus far. His relentless efforts in driving to the hoop will generate more trips to the free throw line and unless he brings his free throw percentage up to at least the 70s, it may get to a point where opposing teams will consider the Filipino-American’s missed free throws as a defensive stop. 

While not necessarily a weakness, Magnolia would want to see Lucero play as many games as he can. There have been no signs of any complications or hesitations from the given how he was a few years removed from suffering a torn ACL in the UAAP Season 85 Finals. However, durability both in game and in season will be critical if he will take on a larger role with the Hotshots. 

Nonetheless, Lucero is already in the conversation for the Best Player of the Conference despite it still being the somewhat early stages of the 2025 Philippine Cup. He’s clearly the best player on the best team right now, but it remains to be seen how he will fare against the likes of the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and the TNT Tropang 5G. 

Given his progress through two PBA campaigns, though, Zavier Lucero will continue to grow now and in the next few seasons. Lucero is one of the younger players on a Magnolia Hotshots squad whose average age is around 30 years old, so it’s safe to say his place within the organization is secure for the next decade, more so when he performs at this level.