It pays to have a coach as a father.

That is how Meralco rookie Aaron Black put things in perspective as he is set to play under the tutelage of his father and Bolts head coach Norman Black for the first time in his career.

“It is the first time he is coaching me in a real team. It is a little bit different,” Aaron told the Sports Page show. “I guess it is a new thing as well that this never happened before, but at the same time, it is familiar.”

“All my life he has been coaching me and I look at it as an advantage that we can watch tape together, we can look at the game, I can get a heads up of what the new plays are going to be.”

Although Norman called the shots for Ateneo, where Aaron eventually saw action, the older Black already left the collegiate ranks by the time his son entered the UAAP.

But as it turned out, Aaron will be able to work with his father officially as he landed with Meralco as the 18th overall pick in the recent PBA draft.

Despite having his league debut in March stalled by the coronavirus pandemic, Aaron used the time to learn intently from Norman, one of the best imports to grace the PBA hardcourt.

“I’ve just been trying to pick his brain this whole quarantine,” Aaron said.

“He has been in the league for so long that all I can do right now is really learn from what he has been through as a player and as well as a coach.”

A two-time UAAP champion with the Blue Eagles, Aaron yearns to bring his winning ways to the Bolts as the PBA season reboots in a bubble in Clark, Pampanga on October 11.

“Help anyway I can. I want us to win a championship this year. We’ve fallen short a couple of times and I think this may be our year, hopefully,” Aaron said. – Rappler.com