PBA: For Big Mark Andaya, the destination was worth the wait

There are only ten teams in the PBA. Those teams have rosters of 14 players plus a couple of reserves. With the PBA draft pumping in at the very least ten new players into the league each year, coupled with the slow rate of veterans retiring, plus an import in two of the three conferences, there's bound to be players who fall between the cracks.

The lights inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum were still dimmed at 4:30 pm last Wednesday. The coliseum buzzer was being tested, the cameras, white balanced. A handful of players were on the court to stretch or shoot. Fans started to trickle in for that day’s twin games.

A freakishly tall player stretched his legs under the goal post. He wore a huge orange-colored sleeve that could house a family of four. His pace was calculated, like a baby’s first steps, but after he launched a shot that kissed the bottom of net before bouncing off the wooden floor of that hallowed venue, his precautions had melted away.

It’s difficult to understand just how a 6'9" basketball player in his prime just falls through the cracks. In a league where small forwards play the four and the power forwards moonlight at the center position, it’s beyond explanation why a legitimate center would end up without a PBA contract. For Mark Andaya, trying to explain this is as fruitful as scoring a basket after the final buzzer has sounded. All that’s important is that he’s here again.

“Matagal rin akong nawala kaya sana mabigyan ako ng playing time para makapag-pakilala ulit,” Andaya said before walking back to the dugout. Players and coaches of the opposing team approached him to shake his hand. This was quietly a sweet moment for the big guy. All those months of playing in commercial leagues all over the country have paid off because now he gets to be welcomed back to the PBA.

After his last contract in the PBA expired, Andaya was trapped in a pro ballers version of purgatory. He was good enough for the pros, but with no team willing to sign him up.

Basketball is Andaya’s life. One can’t expect him to just quit and find another means of living. His solution was to take a detour and go the “ligang labas” route.

He joined whatever team he could on a 'play for pay' basis. Contacts could be as short as a single game and could be guaranteed for a couple of weeks. I watched him play ball in Baguio alongside Manny Pacquiao. Their team, which also had Ramsey Williams, Allan Salangsang, and a 6-7 American import named Devon Sullivan, won the tournament. They went up against a bunch of teams also with former PBA players. Guys like Chris Calaguio and Rob Sanz carried the fight for the opposition but Pacquiao’s team was just too stacked.

Andaya traveled from place to place, living paycheck to paycheck. He made stops in Davao, Cebu, Agusan del Norte, Marikina, and every other place where someone was willing to pay. He faced different opponents from different parts of the country but they had one thing in common - all of them wanted to own the former-PBA player.

Having a former pro in a league filled with players who want to prove themselves is like waving a red cape in front of an angry bull. The amateur ballers try to work their way around, over, and most of the time through Andaya, in attempts to show to themselves and to the public that they are also good enough. Getting clobbered on a daily basis turned into one of the occupational hazards for Andaya, but he tried not to let it affect him.

“Ganun talaga sa ligang labas. Pisikal talaga yung laro, lalo na ng mga taga-south, pero kadalasan di naman marumi,” Andaya explained. “Yung feeling ko kasi, I was representing the PBA, so I tried hard not to play dirty kahit na sinasaktan na ako.”

But we all have our limits. In one particular game, Anadaya was punched on his neck while trying to get a rebound. He retaliated in kind by punching the guy in the face. He was thrown out of the game but he has no regrets about his actions.

After one particular game in Cebu, Andaya received the call he was dreaming about. It was from Air21 Governor Lito Alvarez and it was to inform Andaya that he would be given a contract for the rest of the Philippine Cup.

“Sinabi niya sa akin na kailangan nila ng big man at ayaw daw nilang kumuha ng bata,” Andaya said. The team Andaya was currently signed with was about to play in the tournament finals, but the big man had to fly back to Manila to attend Air21’s practice.

In his first game back in the PBA, Andaya did not get a single minute of action but it didn’t matter. He knew this was going to happen because he had only practiced with the team twice. What mattered was that he was back and he would have time to show his team and the league what he’s really worth.

“Alam ko sa sarili ko na I’m not just good enough to be in the PBA, I’m good enough to play in the PBA,” Andaya said. “Gusto ko ipakita sa kanila na I’m still in my prime. I can still play.”

Andaya’s story is a reminder for everyone who fell out of favor. It’s about continuing to put in the work even if the returns are diminished. But most of all, it’s about not stopping even after you accomplish your initial goals. For Andaya, all the angling and wishing and praying for another shot at the PBA was over. The quest for a long-term contract has just begun. - AMD, GMA News