Roi Sumang happy to get drafted regardless of position

MANILA, Philippines – One of the biggest surprises of the 2015 PBA Draft was how far former UE Red Warriors star Roi Sumang continuously went undrafted before eventually getting selected by the GlobalPort Batang Pier with the fourth pick in the third round.

The 5-foot-10 Sumang, known as a prolific scorer in his heyday as a Red Warrior, will certainly have to fight for minutes against a loaded Batang Pier guard depth that includes reigning Rookie of the Year Stanley Pringle, Most Improved Player of the Year Terrence Romeo, veteran scorer Joseph Yeo, and another rookie in Ryan Wetherell.

Despite the lower-than-expected position he got drafted into and vast competition for playing time, Sumang remains pleased as he reached his goal of making it to the premier basketball league in the Philippines.

“Masaya parin [ako],” Sumang said on Sunday, August 23, at Robinsons Place Manila. “Narating ko yung pangarap ko. Nandito ako sa PBA. Excited ako makapaglaro.”

(I’m still happy. I reached my dream of making it to the PBA. I’m excited to play.)

“Hindi ako nag expect,” he said. “Basta, ako, ma-draft lang, masaya na ako.” (I didn’t expect anything. For me, as long as I got drafted, I was happy.)

GlobalPort used their first pick in the draft on Sumang, who didn’t expect he would land with the Batang Pier. But since they took him, he now feels that he has to repay them with his performance on the court.

“When I had the opportunity, grinab ko siya (I grabbed him),” GlobalPort head coach Pido Jarencio said about his new player. 

“Para sa akin, hindi ko rin ine-expect na dito sa GlobalPort,” said Sumang, who in his best season with UE (Season 76, 2013) averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a contest. (I didn’t expect to go to GlobalPort, too.)

“Sila ‘yung nagbigay ng chance, so kailangan may ma-prove ako.” (They were the ones who gave me a chance, so I to prove myself.)

In GlobalPort, Sumang will play with a former rival of his in the UAAP in Romeo, making the Batang Pier an even more lethal scoring threat. 

“Excited ako, kasi nu’ng UAAP magkalaban kami, so ngayon magkakampi na kami,” Sumang said about his new teammate. (I’m excited because while in the UAAP, we were rivals, and now we’re teammates.)

“Close naman kami ni Terrence. Siguro magiging [mas] close kami,” he added. (Maybe we’ll get even closer.)

Inevitably, the questions of whether there will be enough shot attempts for Sumang, Romeo, Pringle, and Yeo will arise. Some might even consider it could lead to potential conflicts between the guards.

According to Pringle, however, it won’t be a problem.

“I’m excited, man, because it’s a fresh opportunity for all the young guys and whoever our staff picks, I’m going to stand a hundred percent behind it,” he said.

“I’m more concerned about improving this offseason. I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m just focused on our team and improving on our team.” – Rappler.com