Dre Miller, the son of legendary cager Willie Miller, is charting the same path as his father took after he decided to bring his act to the NCAA.
However, the former stressed that doesn't mean things are easier for him.
Dre has already committed to play for Arellano University even if his father is already back in his alma mater Colegio de San Juan de Letran, where the former two-time PBA Most Valuable Player will call the shots for the school's juniors basketball team.
With the Chiefs, the 19-year-old Dre is already looking forward to making his own mark.
"First reason ko is nakita ko na maganda ‘yung system ng Arellano, maganda ‘yung takbo ng mga coaches sa mga players, maganda ‘yung samahan nila, and nakita ko lang na kapag sumali ako ng Arellano, mas marami ako mai-improve," Dre told GMA News Online following Arellano's 79-71 loss to Mapua in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Wednesday.
"Hindi naman niya po ako tinry na papuntahin sa Letran kasi choice ko rin po talaga is Arellano talaga."
(First reason is Arellano has a good system, the coaches and players also have good flow, they have good camaraderie, and I just saw that when I join Arellano, I will improve. He did not ask me to move to Letran because Arellano is my choice.)
Dre, who stands at 5-foot-10 and is eligible to play for five years for the Chiefs, is coming off a two-year stint with the FEU high school team. However, he was only able to suit up for one year in Season 86 after being sidelined the year prior due to a meniscus tear.
In Season 86, the budding cager posted 4.33 points, 3.93 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.27 steals, and 0.07 blocks as the Baby Tamarwas reached the Final Four but fell to National University in the semifinals.
As he embarks on a fresh start at Arellano, Dre has nothing but optimism that he can deliver the goods to help the Chiefs end their Final Four drought come NCAA Season 100.
"‘Yung tinatrabaho namin ngayon is kung paano pa kami magle-level up pa from last season kasi ‘yung goal namin ngayon is makapasok sa Final Four at makakuha ng championship," he added.
(What we are working on now is how to level up from last season because our goal is to reach the Final Four and win the championship.)
To make sure he's on the right track, Dre is using whatever he has and continues to learn from his dad, who was a former NCAA Rookie of the Year in 1995 before emerging as the top overall pick in the 2001 PBA Draft.
"‘Yung unang tip niya sa akin is to be aggressive na lang, offense man or defense," he shared.
"And ‘yung isa is to never give up and then sa teammates, you need to earn their trust and give trust to them para mas maganda ‘yung chemistry."
(His first tip is to be aggressive either in offense or defense. The other one is to never give up and in terms of teammates, you need to earn their trust and give trust to them so that chemistry will be better.)
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
