If he had his way, NorthPort head coach Bonnie Tan would prefer Arwind Santos remaining with the ball club instead of going somewhere else.
“Sino bang may ayaw to have an Arwind Santos sa isang team,” he asked rhetorically during the recent PBA Media Day at One Esplanade.
“Sa mga na-contribute niya sa former teams niya, talagang gusto ng mga coaches.”
Entering his first full season as the Batang Pier’s chief bench tactician, Tan won’t be having an additional on-court leader at his disposal.
The 2012 MVP is presently with Pampanga in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. He joined the Giant Lanterns ahead of the league’s playoffs earlier this October — a month after his old deal with NorthPort expired.
Santos has been contributing to his new team, recently helping them move a win away from returning to the North Division Finals.
(C) PBA Images
“Experience pa lang eh, laking factor ‘yun e. With Arwind around, gina-guide niya ‘yung mga rookies namin before. ‘Yun ‘yung nawala, experience. Laking bagay,” lamented the former Colegio de San Juan de Letran coach.
Santos, though, had previously stated that he’d still want to return to the PBA and win another title, if possible, before finally hanging up his sneakers.
“Meron pa rin akong reason para makabalik ng PBA: ‘yun ‘yung gusto ko pa rin magretiro sa liga. ‘Yun ‘yon,” the 42-year-old said.
Tan himself isn’t ruling out any possibility as well in welcoming back the nine-time PBA champion, who was recently named commissioner of the newly-founded league, National Basketball Championship Inter-High.
“Ngayon, kinukuha niya ‘yung timing niya sa MPBL — ‘di natin masabi, batang-bata pa naman si Arwind,” he quipped.
