Playing with Dwight Howard thrills Quiambao, Liwag

Young big men Kevin Quiambao and Allen Liwag are making the most out of their time with former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Andray Blatche as they all team up in Strong Group for the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.

The 6-foot-7 Quiambao, the reigning UAAP MVP who led the De La Salle University to its championship drive in Season 86, said he is taking in every lesson he gets from the rare opportunity of playing alongside some basketball icons.

Quiambao will banner the locals while the tandem of Howard and Blatche takes charge of the frontcourt as Strong Group looks to redeem itself after a tough quarterfinal exit in the previous edition.

"Happy kasi kung ano ‘yung matututunan namin sa kanila ay dadalhin namin sa future careers namin dito sa Pilipinas," Quiambao said after their two-hour training last Wednesday.

"Tine-take advantage lang namin ‘yung short time na kasama namin sila and sobrang excited lang kami maglaro."

(Happy because whatever we learn from here is something we will bring to our future careers here. We are taking advantage of the short time with them and we are excited to play.)

Incoming De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde big man Allen Liwag, meanwhile, stressed that linking up with the likes of Howard, a former three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Blatche, who used to suit up for Washington and Brooklyn, is an unexpected turn in his young career.

Nonetheless, he is using it to improve on his own development, especially with the NCAA Season 100 happening in a few months.

"Sobrang nakakatuwa, unexpected ‘yung mga nangyayari sa akin. Sa akin, kung may mga ganitong opportunity, talagang bibigay ko lang ‘yung best ko," Liwag said.

"Sobrang laking tulong nito sa career ko and kaya para sa akin, ‘yung mindset ko lang is to make the most out of it and matuto ako sa kanila kasi NBA players sila eh."

(I am elated. This is something unexpected. For me, if there are opportunities like this, I will really give my best. It is a big help for my career and for me, my mindset is to make the most out of it and learn from them since they are NBA players.)

Aside from Howard and Blatche, Quiambao and Liwag will also get to work with other imports Andre Roberson and Mckenzie Moore. 

Roberson, a 26th overall pick in 2013, played for the Oklahoma City Thunders in seven years while Moore had been seeing action in a number of overseas clubs and even reinforced TNT in the PBA in 2021. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News