Don't call it a comeback

Kala niyo sawa na kami mag-champion?
(Photo credits to the owner)

Coach Cone was not brought into the Purefoods' fold to win a championship. He wasn't brought in to simply win a PBA Grand Slam (though that could have easily been one of the targets/ objectives).

He was brought in to (re)establish a (new) dynasty in Philippine basketball.

Name any past or present San Miguel Corporation-employed head coach in the last ten to fifteen years that was given as much leeway and power as Cone. You'll have to go back two more decades or so, to the days of the iconic Robert Jaworski, Sr. and Ron Jacobs, to truly understand how much creative control and power Cone was given when it comes to the direction of the team, player trades and acquisition and basically what sort of product to put on the basketball court.

Now, after a relatively "disappointing" PBA Philippine Cup campaign wherein the Purefoods STAR Hotshots were unable to defend their crown (proving that yes, they are all just human and that even the most stellar of athletes need to recharge specially after a Grand Slam romp), Coach Cone has his team back atop the standings of the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup. They're not just looking to defend the title, but they seem like they're out to start winning championships one after the other anew.

At the forefront of course is 6"8 13/16 tall import Denzel Bowles who is posting 44.1 mpg, 32 ppg, 14 rpg, 4 apg followed by the locals; Joe DeVance 33 mpg, 9 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg, Marc Pingris 33 mpg, 9 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg, Mark Barroca 30 mpg, 12 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg and 2x PBA MVP James Yap 26 mpg, 10 ppg, 2 rpg, 1 apg.

Let that sink in for a moment: this team is so good, that they don't even feel the need to play their MVP Yap for more than 26 minutes per contest en route to their current, league-best 7 wins and 3 losses record. 

Then there are PJ Simon, Justin Melton and Alex Mallari (who has fully blossomed into a Jewish surfer boy Rodney Santos off the bench) which makes the Hotshots' 2nd unit arguably one of- if not THE best in the PBA today.

There's continuity in terms of the way they play Hotshots basketball, but there's also a variety in the sense that whoever is on the 2nd unit almost always plays at a different pace and identity than the first unit. 

It all comes back to coaching, to Coach Cone.

Most say that Coach Cone left his former team of twenty-odd something years for the money. You cannot fault a man, a father, for doing what is best for his family so all those kids need to graduate, find a job and see if they'll value loyalty over financial security. (So let us Internet marks all move on from that one okay?)

But what if, more than the money, Coach Cone simply wanted a new challenge: to be able to have some of the country's best players and help them become something even more? We all saw how Coach Cone has transformed Yap from a one-dimensional, isolation catch-and-shoot player to a guy who can read offenses and defenses to help increase his efficiency.

Ditto with PJ Simon, who had a run at the start of the Coach Cone era as a big point guard even. Marc Pingris was benched early, but then he found a role in the Triangle (didn't have to look that far, Dennis Rodman: Phil Jackson is an easy reference for the proud Pangalatok) and to this day, has not let go of his title as the 2nd best power forward in the country (behind only fellow Gilas alum Ranidel de Ocampo).

What if, to the greatest mind in Philippine basketball today, Coach Cone wanted to see if he is just as effective in leading a superstar roster-- managing minutes and egos especially, as he was in coaching a thin one?

From 2012 to today, Coach Cone and his Hotshots have already won 5 championships together. The core of veterans (Yap, Simon, Pingris and DeVance) are there. The bench has been developed (we'll see how good this team really is once Ian Sangalang and Allein Maliksi are truly 100% healthy, then they'll run with Melton and Barroca plus a 5th guy to basically be a legitimate PBA starting five for any other team).

The Hotshots were merely fatigued last conference. They were able to quickly catch up to Coach Cone's old team, Alaska, in the title count overall (13), only 7 more titles before they tie and overtake San Miguel as the PBA's winningest team.

And you know what?

With Coach Cone at the helm, with this roster and continuous backing from Team SMC, winning 7 more titles doesn't seem all that far-fetched.