NorthPort rookie Cade Flores didn’t hold back when asked about not being voted into the PBA All-Star’s Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors game.
There are All-Stars. Then there are All-Star snubs.
After a PBA Commissioner’s Cup that saw him once lead the Rookie of the Year race, NorthPort young gun Cade Flores became probably the biggest snub in the All-Star festivities later this month.
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When asked about not being voted into the Rookie-Sophomores-Juniors game in Bacolod that will feature the league’s rising stars, Flores didn’t hold back.
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“It’s probably just a popularity contest,” he told reporters in the aftermath of Batang Pier’s 112-104 overtime win over Converge at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 3.
Converge’s Keith Zaldivar emerged as the top-voter in the RSJ pool that also features rising stars Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of TNT, RK Ilagan of Blackwater, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum, and San Miguel’s neophyte and social media sensation Kyt Jimenez.
Flores’ NorthPort teammates and fellow rookies Fran Yu and John Amores, who was recently relegated to the injury reserve list to give way to another marquee rookie in Zav Lucero, are also part of the RSJ game.
Upon learning about the snub, the former Arellano standout admitted he felt mad and disrespected.
Flores has every reason to be just that. After all, he ended the Commissioner’s Cup only behind top pick Stephen Holt in the Rookie of the Year race with 22.4 SPs (statistical points) on averages of almost nine points, seven rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He also normed 1.3 steals.
“I was mad just because I felt I was disrespected. But I play with my heart on the court, like I play hard defense, and whereas greedy in a way that I just like have a lot of passion,” he said.
“When I saw I didn’t get selected, I was like ‘Ridiculous’. It’s gotta be a popularity thing. I’m not really big on social media. If it’s based on stats i should be in there.”
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But there’s nothing he could do about that.
Now whenever he steps on the court, he plays with a chip on his shoulder, none more evident in his 14-point, 14-rebound, and three-steal outing in the win against the FiberXers.
“I’m gonna show them what I got during this conference. We’ll see. It really goes with numbers if I win Rookie of the Year. That’s what I was aiming for so yeah,” Flores said.
“It is what it is. I’m gonna use this as determination to play harder this conference,” he added.