Alex Nuyles gets a fresh start with Tropang TNT

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Nuyles is moving forward after a messy contract row that left him almost jobless and missing an entire conference.

The 26-year-old Nuyles, the 9th overall pick of the 2013 draft, found his way to Tropang TNT for the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, 3 months after he had a contract dispute with former team Mahindra Enforcers. 

“Sa wakas, nakalipat na (At last, I’ve transferred),” the relieved third year swingman said, emerging from the dugout after TNT’s 108-102 victory over Blackwater on Wednesday, February 10. 

Nuyles went public last October about expansion team Mahindra invalidating a one-year contract extension he signed on July 29, leaving him without salary for a month and a team to play for before the 41st PBA season. 

Both parties eventually settled the terms a week later with Mahindra, which also dealt with issues involving other players and a coach, agreeing to honor Nuyles’ one-year contract, but Nuyles never saw action in the 2016 Philippine Cup.

Nuyles says he was unsure of the details but said his manager sought a release for him then worked to find him a team. 

The former Adamson University standout started for the Tropa on Wednesday but registered only 3 turnovers in his 11:07 minutes on the floor.

“The coaches are patient for me to get back to my game,” said Nuyles, who has already been training with TNT for a month, in Filipino. “Every time I make a mistake it’s okay now until I can recover my old game.”

Nuyles normed 4.2 points, 1.6 ebounds and 0.8 assists in his first two years in the league playing for his original team Rain or Shine then Blackwater. 

“Keep fighting. Keep the faith in God that I can get past it,” Nuyles shared the lessons he learned from his experience. “Just work hard. When I was still in that situation I kept telling myself that I can do this, I can do this.” – Rappler.com