There’s a growing list of underrated players that Yeng Guiao has turned into elite PBA players. Here are some of those who blossomed under him.
Yeng Guiao has been known for turning little-known players into PBA stars.
The latest in his growing list is Rain or Shine’s Jhonard Clarito, who has emerged as one of the protagonists of the youthful Elasto Painters battling TNT in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semifinals.
[RELATED STORY: Yeng Guiao lauds Jhonard Clarito: Gives blood, sweat and tears for Rain or Shine in Game 3]
When asked by One Sports which underrated players like Clarito were his favorites since he started coaching in 1990, Guiao said he has none.
“Basta pag nagdaan sakin, pare-parehas turing ko sa kanila. Kahit murahin ko, pagalitan ko yan, pero after that meron kaming closeness, meron kaming relationship sa mga players na yun,” Guiao said.
“Mahirap mag isip ng paborito e. Sa’kin kasi pag nagdaan ka na sa akin, kung ano man naitruo ko or naabsorb nila, or naging learnings nila sa pagsasama namin, sayo na yun. wala na makakakuha sayo nun.”
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The two-time PBA Coach of the Year and seven-time champion did name some of the players who stood out in his eyes from his Red Bull days.
He refused to include anyone from his current team Rain or Shine though.
Junthy Valenzuela
The Red Bull franchise brought Junthy Valenzuela and five others to the team when it entered the PBA in 2000 as an expansion team.
The two-time All-Star, known for his clutch shots and toughness on the defensive end, helped the franchise win three titles.
Unfortunately, a knee injury essentially ended the 6’2 cager’s playing career.
Lordy Tugade
Like Valenzuela, Lordy Tugade was also a direct hire for the franchise.
Before three-pointers were a fixture, Tugade was among the most prominent shooters in the league in the 2000s.
But his partnership with Guiao ended in 2006 after Red Bull shipped him to San Miguel.
Like Valenzuela, injuries also forced him to retire in 2010.
Jimwell Torion
In this list, Jimwell Torion had probably the most colorful career.
Torion found himself in a couple of controversies including the failed random drug test and the clothesline on Jimmy Alapag.
But save for those, the 5-foot-9 playmaker, whose biggest weapons were his speed and fearlessness, was an integral part of the Red Bull team.
Mick Pennisi
Remember that 2012 flop that was heard around the world?
Yes, that was Mick Pennisi, who was playing for Barako Bull then.
But while he was more famous for that delayed flop after Petron import Will McDonald thew the ball to his head, Pennisi was a player ahead of his time.
Before shooting bigs were a thing, Pennisi already made a living off of that for Guiao and five other teams he played for in a PBA career spanning 17 years.
He called it quits as a five-time PBA champion, a two-time All-Star, and a member of the 2002 national team in the Asian Games.