Ababou's Chance

It's only been a game but in 20 minutes for his new team-- the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, PBA rookie and UAAP UST Most Valuable Player Dylan Ababou's future looks brighter than ever.

Ababou > Intal

Granted, he finished with only 2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls and a turnover, but it's clear that he is a lock as the Gin Kings' small forward of the present and foreseeable future. Once he gets his feet wet within the Kings' offense, Ababou's high basketball IQ will take care of the numbers. No, we don't really expect him to drop huge scoring efforts-- we'll leave that to Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and import Chris Alexander, but it's safe to say that Ababou will serve as the team's glue guy on both ends of the court.

While some fans cried over the loss of JC Intal who was traded to BMeg to play "Scottie Pippen/ Marcio Lassiter" to James Yap's "Michael Jordan/ Gary David," Ababou is a definite upgrade by a wider margin than most would think.



Yes, Ababou-prime (UST MVP) is no match for Intal-prime (which was during his senior year with the Ateneo Blue Eagles where he could've won the UAAP MVP had it not been for Adamson's sweet-shooting burly big man Ken Bono, and, well, that's about it), but given their skillset, he's the one that the Kings need to compete.

Offensively, Ababou is more "catch and shoot" or "drop pass option" than creator. His dribbling skills are acceptable, but he's not exactly explosive with his footspeed. Defensively, what he lacks in quickness, he makes up for with intelligence-- always knowing where to make his guy turn and using his considerable height and heft advantage to the hilt.

If Rudy Hatfield were only five years younger, then yes, Ababou wouldn't have any business logging in 20 minutes on the floor. But this is 2012, Hatfield, while still his usual energetic self, is no spring chicken. Ditto with hard working yet undersized forward Willy Wilson who is strong and smart enough, but not someone you could go to when the chips are down and everyone else's being guarded tightly.

Ababou's only competition on the Kings' roster is fellow rookie and UST alumni Allein Maliksi-- but the PBADL MVP is bound to bleed for his minutes for a long time until the wheels fall off of Caguioa and Helterbrand (who, judging by yesterday's match, is now a SG on all fronts). Ababou? Let's just say that his starting SF spot is his to lose-- and we doubt that he'll ever allow Maliksi, Nino Canaleta and even John Wilson to take it from him. Not after the draft snubs and SMART Gilas benching he's had to deal with the last few years.