TNT's resident superstar Jayson Castro may not be a spring chicken anymore, but the player also known as the "Blur" has no plans of slowing down as he tries to lead the Tropang Giga to another PBA championship in the coming season.
At 38, the heart and soul of TNT said that the competitive fire that made him an eight-time PBA champion is still there as looks forward to the new season, which kicks off with the Governors' Cup on August 18.
"The competitiveness is still there, the competitive fire to win a championship," said Castro during the PBA Media Day at the Le Parc Event Hall in Pasay City last Tuesday.
Castro, a five-time Best Player of the Conference, averaged 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists last season. His numbers remain respectable despite being slowed down by an assortment of injuries the past few years.
The good news is, he will get more help following the arrival of Rey Nambatac, whom the team acquired in an off season trade with Blackwater.
The left-handed Nambatac is expected to add firepower and veteran presence as evidenced in his solid performance-game averages of 11.1 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds in his only conference with the Bossing.
"He'll be a big help for us because Rey is a veteran already in the PBA," Castro said of Nambatac, the former Letran star guard.
Even TNT coach Chot Reyes believes their latest off season recruit fits well with the Tropang Giga as Nambatac tries to plug in the hole left by mercurial Filipino American guard Mikey Williams.
"Losing Mikey Williams forced us to change drastically. I think Rey Nambatac fits our team really well with our style of play," said Reyes, whose team won the Governors' Cup in 2023 after beating the Justin Brownlee-led Ginebra in the finals.
"We like his demeanor, his character and his work ethic. We hope we could see more of that from Rey in the coming season."
TNT failed to make the semifinals in each of the two conferences held last season. Now the team is eager to get over the hump and return to being championship contenders again.
Former NBA player Darius Days will serve as the Tropang Giga's import with first choice Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still unavailable.