MANILA, Philippines – Scottie Thompson is leaving behind the jersey number he used on the way to becoming a PBA star.

Switching to No. 9 at the start of the Commissioners Cup, Thompson ditched the jersey No. 6 that saw him win a PBA MVP and six championships with Barangay Ginebra.

The do-it-all guard said he changed his jersey number in respect to Gin Kings icons Noli Locsin and Dondon Ampalayo, who also wore No. 6 during their respective careers.

“We all know that a lot of legends used my number. At the same time, I chose No. 9 because it is the day of the anniversary of my wife and I,” Thompson said in a mix of Filipino and English.

The debut of the new jersey number, though, saw Thompson deliver one of his worst games in recent memory as Ginebra absorbed a stunning 93-71 loss to Rain or Shine in its conference opener on Wednesday, September 28.

Known for filling the stats sheet, Thompson finished with just 1 point on a 0-of-4 shooting on top of 10 rebounds and 2 assists.

It was his lowest scoring output since the 2019 Governors’ Cup, where he went scoreless in a narrow win over TNT.

Earlier this season, Thompson averaged all-around numbers of 16.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in the Philippine Cup.

“We just need to get our rhythm for our upcoming games. We need to make adjustments in practice and trust the process of the team,” Thompson said.

Thompson looks to bounce back when Ginebra faces rival Meralco on Sunday, October 2, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com