Rain or Shine cannot wait to welcome Mike Nieto on board now that he’s free to join the team if he wishes, after Gilas Pilipinas released him.
Head coach Chris Gavina believes that the versatile 6-foot-3 winger could provide an immediate impact on the Elasto Painters, who picked him at no. 5 during the special round of the top-heavy 2019 PBA Rookie Draft.
“Mike’s energy and effort on both ends of the floor, we feel, will automatically give us a two-way player that has the ability to add value to everyone around him right away,” the youthful mentor told Tiebreaker Times, Tuesday.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) did not renew Nieto and his fellow draftees – namely twin brother Matt, Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, and Allyn Bulanadi – after their contracts expired last January 31.
It was just the latest development in the national team program after Chot Reyes got reappointed as head coach in lieu of Tab Baldwin.
‘Big Mike’ was one of the American-Kiwi mentor’s trustees, so to speak. The two were together during Ateneo’s historic championship runs in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) a few years ago.
The 24-year-old suited up for a total of five games for Gilas. He played thrice in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. He averaged 4.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while helping his side finish the tilt with a 6-0 card.
His other two, meanwhile, were in the prestigious Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade that saw them nearly top world powerhouse Serbia. There, he normed 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists.
Photo by FIBA.basketball
Now, should he join Rain or Shine, he will look to boost the franchise’s youth brigade spearheaded by Rey Nambatac and Javee Mocon.
Nieto had played with the latter before. They were part of the ‘hybrid’ Gilas pool for the first window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers back in February of 2020. However, they were among the final cuts for the 12-man lineup.
Familiarity will surely be something that he can bank on should he become an Elasto Painter. Besides Mocon, he also worked with Caloy Garcia, when the current Rain or Shine consultant became part of Baldwin’s staff last year.
But more than that, it is really his basketball IQ and competitive nature that excites Gavina and the crew.
“We have always held Mike in high regard due to his high basketball IQ and competitive nature.”
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