Kai Ballungay on joining young Phoenix core: 'The possibility is endless'

The Phoenix Fuel Masters have injected more youth into their already-young core after the franchise selected Ateneo de Manila University standout Kai Ballungay during the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft on Sunday. 

The 22-year-old Ballungay will join a Phoenix army that parades the likes of Ricci Rivero, Ken Tuffin, Tyler Tio, Sean Manganti, and Simon Camacho, all of whom have been delivering for head coach Jamike Jarin in their past campaign. 

Ballungay hopes to be bring more to the table for the Fuel Masters with his youth and championship experience from college. 

"The possibility is endless. With a young core, I think I’m excited to be able to go with them and take every day one step at a time and continue to build a culture and to win games," Ballungay said after being selected fourth overall pick from the deep pool of draftees at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati. 

Ballungay stressed the winning culture he inherited from the Blue Eagles will play a crucial factor in his arrival at Phoenix, who has seen a lot of improvement in the previous season that saw the club reach the semifinals of Commissioner's Cup. 

"I think it’s how I was prepared in Ateneo where we embrace the winning culture so I think that’s one of the things I wanna bring to Phoenix," Ballungay, who helped the Blue Eagles win the UAAP Season 85 title, added.

But above all, Ballungay is just glad to fulfill a longtime dream of setting foot at the PBA. 

"It’s a blessing. The past couple days have been full of sleepless nights preparing for this moment but it’s definitely a breath of fresh air," he said.

"I put my trust to God and I give it all to him it’s definitely a great moment to be here."

—JKC, GMA Integrated News