Dave Ildefonso comes home, declares for PBA Draft

Dave Ildefonso is set for a Philippine homecoming.

This after the second generation star declared his intention to apply for the upcoming PBA Draft after his two-year stint with the Suwon KT Sonicboom in the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

Ildefonso shared that Suwon didn't renew his contract, which reached its expiration at the end of May, prompting him to throw his name into the Rookie Draft and join fellow aspirants like CJ Cansino and Evan Nelle.

Although he has already played in the professional scene in Korea, the 24-year-old shared he still treats himself as a rookie and said he anticipates a tough battle come his potential PBA debut.

"I expect that competition’s gonna be tough kasi PBA pa rin is full of really, really skilled and talented players. Coming in as a rookie, kahit I played professional na, but I’m still a rookie here in the PBA if ever," Ildefonso, the son of PBA legend Danny Ildefonso, said on the sidelines of Strong Group Athletics' training in Mandaluyong on Tuesday.

"I expect na magiging physical sila sa akin, they’re gonna try to throw me off course, siyempre I’m just gonna stick to what I know and listen to my support group pa rin."

[I expect that competition's gonna be tough because PBA is still full of really, really skilled and talented players. Coming in as a rookie, even if I played professional already, but I'm still a rookie here in the PBA if ever... I expect they will be physical with me, they're gonna try to throw me off course. Of course, I'm just gonna stick to what I know and listen to my support group.]

And if he will have it his way, the 6-foot ace said he would love to be drafted by Converge, where his father's currently serving as one of the assistant coaches.

Aside from that, Ildefonso also likes the familiarity within the team as Converge also parades a number of former Ateneo players like BJ Andrade, Mike Nieto, Inand Fornilos, and Pat Maagdenberg.

"I would wanna go to Converge siyempre. Kasi [there’s] a lot of Ateneo guys there and my dad’s there. Rain or Shine sana kasi my brother’s there and Coach Yeng [Guiao], idol ko ‘yun kasi palagi kong napapanood since bata pa lang ako," he added.

"And you know, San Miguel kasi wala lang [for the] heck of it. Parang tatay, San Miguel, nice lang siguro na magka-jersey ako na Ildefonso San Miguel."

[I would wanna go to Converge, of course. There's a lot of Ateneo guys there and my dad's there. Rain or Shine, too, because my brother's there and Coach Yeng, he's my idol because I've always watched him since I was a kid... And you know, San Miguel for the heck of it. Like my dad, San Miguel, it might be nice to also have my own jersey that is Ildefonso San Miguel.]

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News