TRIVIA: Superstar athletes turned artistas and TV hosts

'Eat Bulaga' Dabarkads Jimmy Santos was a professional basketball player before becoming a TV host and actor. He played as a shooting guard for the 7-Up Uncoals in the PBA's Inaugural Season (1975).

Former 'Eat Bulaga' host Christine Jacob was a swimmer before becoming a host in Eat Bulaga. She won a gold medal in the 1983 Southeast Asian Games.

Benjie Paras may be known by the younger generation as a comedian and father of Andre and Kobe Paras. But before becoming an artista, Benjie was a multi-awarded professional basketball player in the PBA and later on became an assistant coach for the San Beda Red Lions. He sometimes appear on sports TV programs as commentator and analyst.

Robert Jaworski Sr., a.k.a. The Big J, is one of the most popular Pinoy basketball players, and even hailed as one of the greatest of all time. In 2005, he was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame and was also named included in the PBA's 40 Greatest Players. He later on entered showbiz and politics. He appeared in movies like 'Fastbreak' (1971), 'Kasing-kasing Ko' (1973), and 'Hulihin si Tiagong Akyat' (1973).

Arguably one of the most loved PBA players of all time, next to The Living Legend, Robert Jaworski Sr. In 2011, Alvin was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame and he also has several PBA records such as most consecutive games played (596). He was also part of the Philippine National Team for four consecutive Asian games from 1986 to 1998. He starred in movies namely: 'Bondying: The Little Big Boy' (1989), 'May Isang Tsuper ng Taxi' (1990), 'Dobol Dribol' (1992), and 'Dalaw' (2009).

Jerry Codiñera a.k.a. The Defense Minister is a retired multi-awarded professional basketball player, who entered showbiz in '90s. He starred in the box office hit 'Last Two Mintues' (1990) alongside Alvin Patrimonio. He also appeared in 'Tasya Fantasia' (1994) and 'Lip Sync Battle Philippines' (2016).

Retired professional basketball player Bonel Balingit, a.k.a. The Gentle Giant, did movies in the late '90s and early 2000s during his playing years. He appeared in movies namely and 'Isprikitik: Walastik Kung Pumitik' (1999), 'Hayop sa Porma, Hanep sa Ganda' (2005), and 'Pasaway na Multo' (2005).

Jayvee Gayoso is also a former professional basketball player who starred in several movies such as 'Vampira' (1994), 'Daddy's Angel' (1996), and 'On the Job' (2013).

Johnny Abarrientos, a.k.a. The Flying A, is one of the most popular professional basketball players who crossed over into showbiz. He was the shortest player to win the the Most Valuable Player award in the PBA in 1996. In 1997, he starred in the movie 'Go Johnny Go' (1997) with the now legendary TV host and our very own Kapuso, Willie Revillame.

Rudy Hatfield is a retired Filipino-American basketball player. In 2004, he made a cameo in the movie 'Masikip sa Dibdib: The Boobita Rose Story' (2004),which was top-billed by his then girlfriend, Ruffa Mae Quinto.

Mikaela María Antonia Cojuangco, more popularly known as Mikee Cojuangco, was an equestrienne before becoming an actress and TV host. She won the gold medal for the individual show jumping event at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. She starred in several films during the '90s. Most notable of them was the blockbuster movie 'Do Re Mi (1996)' where she starred alongside Donna Cruz and Regine Velasquez. Mikee also had a weekly drama anthology named after her, which aired on GMA-7. She later on married Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr., son of Philippine basketball's living legend, Robert Jaworski Sr.