By Martin Sarmenta
Yeng Guiao was smiling when he entered the
PBA Press Room for his post-game interview. Yes, the fire-and-brimstone coach
was smiling. The reason: his Rain or Shine Elasto Painters had just dispatched
of its latest opponent, in a fashion that spoke of its newfound maturity.
Paul Lee’s crucial free throws and the
victory they assured forced his coach’s lips into a smile. A few nights before,
he hit a game-winning triple against no less than crowd-favourite Barangay
Ginebra.
Not that his arsenal of skills comes as a
shock. His offense is armed to the teeth: he can nail the jumper, beat you off
the dribble (he idolizes Iverson and Kobe), and slash to the basket. He was
always a time bomb that could go off at any minute, forcing the teams to guard
him until the final buzzer.
Paul Lee did not win a UAAP championship,
probably owing to the mysterious “Red Curse”. UE has fielded excellent squads
in the last decade, but has always fallen short of winning it all.
Somehow, though, UE players blossom in the
PBA. They seem to come in battle-tested, especially when compared against other
rookies. Tubid, Yap, and Canaleta come to mind.
That’s why the “Red Curse” is so puzzling:
many claim it’s unexplainable how so many talented players can not win a
championship – but they play so well in the PBA.
Lee was drafted second to Casio in the
recent PBA draft. Many thought Lee would actually go first, but Casio, along
with other Gilas mainstays suddenly crashed the draft party. However, pending
the end of the world or a colossal Casio feat, it seems that Lee will win Rookie
of the Year. He becomes an even stronger
ROY candidate if the Elasto Painters continue their stellar run in the
Governors’ Cup.
True, Rain-or-Shine fell short the last
time they reached the semis after leading the eliminations, but the heartbreak seems
to be motivating them.
All Paul Lee needs now is a bigger stage.
Seriously, he can shine as brilliantly as Caguioa and David or even fellow UE
alumni Yap and Tubid.
Because as long as Lee continues to draw
from whatever it is he’s drawing from, we’ll be seeing a lot more smiles from
coach Yeng Guiao. Is Guiao smiling because he knows something we don’t?
Paul Lee reminds me of the Oklahoma
Thunder. People keep talking about their supposed immaturity and lack of
experience.
What many don’t realize, and what many
underestimate, is how experience doesn’t always come from winning. Experience,
the kind that drives Paul Lee to perform with such ferocity, can also come from
memories that place chips on our shoulders. Paul Lee knows: the scar of
heartbreak can actually be a better teacher than the adulation that comes with
a championship. MS
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