More than a week before Christmas, multi-titled coach Jong Uichico got his gift.
Uichico told Daily Tribune that he feels blessed after being appointed by NLEX to be the lead deputy of head coach Frankie Lim in the Philippine Basketball Association.
He said he will be at the Road Warriors bench when they face Blackwater on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The mild-mannered Uichico is enjoying a banner year.
Aside from serving as head of the coaches’ commission of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Uichico was also part of the coaching staff of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that competed in the Southeast Asian Games in May, the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August and the 19th Asian Games in October.
In the World Cup, Uichico assisted Chot Reyes to a respectable finish while in the Asian Games, he helped Tim Cone in steering the Filipinos to their first title in 61 years.
Prior to that, he backed Reyes in reclaiming the men’s basketball crown in the 32nd Asian Games held in Cambodia in May.
Now, Uichico will make his return to the PBA, where he won nine titles, the last was in 2015 when he steered TNT Tropang Giga to the Commissioner’s Cup crown.
“It was a great year, indeed,” Uichico said.
“You feel proud being a member of those gold medal-winning teams in the Asian Games and SEA Games and given an opportunity to be a part of the coaching staff of the FIBA World Cup.”
“Now, I’m making my return to the PBA circuit. So, I felt really blessed that I will be given the opportunity to help out the NLEX coaching staff.”
Uichico’s new role would guarantee him enough time to continue what he loves, which is learning and sharing his basketball wisdom to local coaches in far-flung provinces.
“All they need is opportunity,” Uichico said.
“There are a lot of good coaches in the provinces, but just don’t have the means of coming here to Manila to learn. So, what we’re doing at the SBP, we’re the ones coming over to the provinces and equipping these coaches.”
“You’ll be surprised with the turnout and the enthusiasm of these local coaches who are eager to learn.”
Uichico believes that coaching the coaches is a higher calling that’s why he prefers the role of an assistant mentor.
“I love what I’m doing,” Uichico, who is one of the very few coaches who had already gone full circle serving the national team both as player and mentor, added.
“This has given me the sense of responsibility of reaching out to the coaches.”
His latest gig at NLEX will give him a good feel of what it is like to be coaching in the PBA anew after being limited to broadcasting the past seven years.
“I’ve never been away from the game. In fact, I used to serve as an analyst during games, so it somehow gave me a feel of what it’s like to be in PBA again,” Uichico said, adding that getting a new job at the height of the Christmas season is the greatest gift he ever received.
