PBA ball clubs looking to pick big men in the 2021 Rookie Draft have gained more options, as Larry Muyang and the returning Ken Holmqvist have formalized their entry to the March proceedings.
The two are among the latest talents to throw their names into what is shaping up to be a deep pool, with 67 aspirants on the list so far.
Muyang, 25, declared that he is making the jump to the professional ranks despite having one more year with Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the NCAA, as he’s motivated to help his parents.
Muyang started his collegiate career in La Salle before joining the Knights in 2017, where he earned Season 94 Rookie of the Year honors before helping the school rule Season 95 to bring the gold back to Intramuros.
He averaged 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in that golden run.
A projected first-round pick, Muyang played for the Pampanga Giant Lanterns and San Juan Knights in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. He also suited up for Pampanga Delta in the National Basketball League.
Meanwhile, Holmqvist is keen to reintroduce himself, three years since his sudden decision not to go back to the country anymore that halted what was then looking to be a promising stint with the Tamaraws.
The Fil-Norwegian cager played for the Morayta-based cagers for a couple of years. He and his brother, Steve, were part of the crew that copped the UAAP Season 78 gold medal, ending the schools’ decade-long drought.
It was also in 2015 when he showed what he can bring to the table, helping FEU rise as co-champions of the Philippine Collegiate Championship League by beating San Beda, bagging home co-Finals MVP honors along the way.
He was then being groomed to be part of the national team, as he was included by then-Tamaraws head coach Nash Racela to the Gilas Pilipinas Cadets squad that swept its way to the 2016 SEABA Cup championship.
Many expected the 6-foot-8 slotman to pick up heavy minutes in his third UAAP season in 2017, but he and his brother did not return anymore after going back to Norway.
Holmqvist was among the three Tamaraws who filed their papers in the league’s office in Libis, the others being Kimlee Bayquin and Joel Lee Yu.
Bayquin last played for FEU in Season 82. Lee Yu, meanwhile, was part of the Phoenix Accelerators team that lorded over the 2016 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup. He also played for Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol in the MPBL.
Far Eastern University products Kimlee Bayquin and Joel Lee Yu; Genmar Bragais from AMA; University of the East’s Mark Olayon; and Arellano’s Donald Gumaru have also filed their papers.
