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MANILA, Philippines – With two days to spare before the deadline, Dave Ildefonso expressed his intention to join the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft on Tuesday, July 2.
The son of former PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso said he is returning to local hoops after not receiving any new overseas offers.
“I didn’t have offers from abroad, and [playing in the PBA] has been a dream of mine,” said Ildefonso during Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas’ media day in Mandaluyong City.
“Ever since my father played in the PBA, I want to follow his footsteps and try to achieve what he achieved. I will apply for this upcoming draft, but I don’t know if I could still submit, that’s the problem,” he added, referring to the Thursday, July 4, 5 pm deadline.
Ildefonso, who exhausted his playing years with Ateneo following the Blue Eagles’ UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball title win over UP, played in limited minutes with Korean Basketball League team Suwon KT.
During his second and final season with the team, he averaged 4.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.7 turnovers in 10.6 minutes.
Suwon KT replaced Ildefonso with Fil-Italian guard Dalph Panopio, a former Gilas Pilipinas prospect, as its Asian import.
“As a player, if you know you’re not being used much in the last season of your contract, you begin to think of what’s next in the future…. Plan A, Plan B…what will I do if I got signed?” said Ildefonso.
“If I won’t get signed, what’s next? We were trying to negotiate [for a return], but the team went in a different direction with Dalph, which is, I think, a much better fit for them.”
If he had his way, Ildefonso mentioned that he would like to be drafted by Converge, where his dad coaches as an assistant, Rain or Shine with brother Shaun, or San Miguel, where he would be the second Ildefonso to wear a Beermen jersey.
Danny, who played from 1998 to 2013 under the San Miguel Beermen franchise, won eight PBA titles, three Finals MVPs, two league MVPs, and five Best Player of the Conference awards, cementing his legacy as one of the best ever. – Rappler.com
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