SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – After more than a year of mulling whether to join the PBA Draft, Kiefer Ravena knows there is no turning back this time.
After his graduation from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2016, “The Phenom” suited up for Mighty Sports in the PCBL, where he won the Most Valuable Player award, in hopes of developing his skills before entering the PBA.
Instead of joining the draft, the 23-year-old went overseas and signed with the NBA D-League team Texas Legends as a developmental player.
Ravena also played for Alab Pilipinas in the ABL before starring for the Chooks-To-Go team in the 2017 FIBA Asia Champions Cup in China this past September, averaging a team-high 20.6 points per game.
Considering himself ripe for competition, Ravena finally decided to make the big leap.
“Napag-isipan ko na lang din talaga with my family and it’s a decision that really took so much time. Kasi ‘yung mga ganitong desisyon hindi naman basta bastang mag-decide on impulse as once you decide on it na, it can be your future na, it’s the thing that I’ll be doing for the rest of my life hopefully,” said Ravena.
(I decided this with my family and it’s a decision that really took so much time. These kind of decisions are not things you decide on impulse since once you decide on it, it will already be your future, and hopefully, it’s the thing I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.)
“Once I passed my form sa draft, I knew na ito na ‘yun, wala nang atrasan.”
(Once I passed my form in the draft, I knew this is it, there is no turning back.)
Ravena made the wait worth it for PBA scouts and coaches as he topped 3 of the 5 drills in the 2017 PBA Draft Combine.
The former two-time UAAP MVP bested the other 43 applicants by being the fastest in the 3/4 court sprint (2.78 seconds) and agility lane (10.72 seconds) and having the highest mark in the max vertical leap (39.5 inches).
“Super excited kasi lahat kami siguro nagsimula mag-basketball para sa araw na ito eh. Ito ‘yung mga araw na nilo-look forward mo ever since na magpakita and at the same time give ourselves a chance to make it into the pros,” said Ravena.
(I’m super excited since maybe all of us started to play basketball for this day. These are one of the moments you look forward to ever since to show how we play and at the same time give ourselves a chance of making it into the pros.)
Ravena is expected to go either first or second overall in the draft but said he does not mind what team picks him in the draft on Sunday, October 29.
“As long as we get our foot sa PBA, iko-control namin ‘yung pwede namin ma-control which is the way we play.”
(As long as we get our foot in the PBA, we will control the thing we can control, which is the way we play.) – Rappler.com
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