As one of the Philippines’ greatest-ever basketball players, Danny Ildefonso is used to living under the spotlight. In this instance, though, he feels that he is a victim of malicious accusations.
This past week, the UAAP community was rocked when UST Growling Tigers star Rhenz Abando was forced to sit out of the game by his team’s management after other schools in the league allegedly tried to recruit him in the middle of the season.
Reports then insinuated that Ildefonso and his alma mater, National University, was the primary school that is moving heaven and earth to get the rising star out of UST in the middle of Season 82, which the current Bulldogs assistant vehemently denies.
“To be honest, nag-ooffer ako, kinukuha, gusto ko talaga siyang tulungan last March kasi mabait na bata ‘yung bata. Gusto ko lang siyang tulungan,” said the 42-year-old mentor.
Ildefonso also shared that he and Abando have a close relationship, as he has known the UAAP neophyte from when he was still a high school student — Urdaneta City, Pangasinan is their hometown.
“Kilala ko na siya, hindi ko lang expected na tatangkad siya ng ganun. Galing siya sa Urdaneta (city). Taga-Cabuloan ako, siya taga-Bactad. Tanungin niyo siya, December, nasa La Union pa siya, pinapapunta ko na siya sa bahay. Hindi lang siya nakapunta kasi gabi na. Ganun ko siya kakilala,” he furthered.
“Kahit tanungin niyo siya, sasabihin ng bata is ‘Pasensya ka na manong. Hindi ako nakapunta nun dahil gabi na.’ So ‘yun, matagal ko na siya kakilala and gusto ko siyang tulungan.”
When the big news came out, Ildefonso was reportedly the individual from the NU camp who has regularly courted Abando during the season. Abando himself then came out and committed to staying in UST for the rest of his college career. Being the center of this maelstrom, though, did not sit well with the Bulldog great.
“Ang huling usap namin ni Rhenz is one month before the UAAP.
“But, mamatay man ako ngayon, hindi ko siya kausap during the season dahil ano mapapala ko? Hindi lang, hindi lang (dahil sa magkalaban kami). Lilipat siya during the season, tutulungan ko ba siya? Hindi. Maguguluhan lang ‘yung isipan ng bata,” he said.
Ildefonso also emphasized again and again that Abando is not the type of player who would cause trouble for UST. He vouched for the Season 82 standout, stating that the kid is not one to start a fuss on his own.
“Sobrang bait niyan.
“Napaka-swerte ng UST kasi hindi siya lumipat nung kausap ko. Sabi niya nahiya siya sa UST. Kaya nga nagtaka ako [kung] bakit lumabas’ yung ganitong isyu. Sabi ko nga, nasa kanila ‘yung problema, hindi sa akin. Sabi ko nga, ilabas nila ‘yung proof ng conversation namin. Hindi ako mag-aano nun. Kung ilabas nila ‘yung proof, aaminin ko na ako, pero wala eh,” insisted the eight-time PBA champion.
As for himself, Ildefonso reiterated that he never thought of contacting Abando in the middle of Season 82 to pirate him for the betterment of NU. The 6-foot-6 big man even feels hard done by the controversy that surrounds him and his school.
Besides this, he raised what Ayo did to Jeff Napa’s Letran before, when Ayo attempted to recruit Bong Quinto and JP Calvo to La Salle.
“Sa kanila galing ang problema. Hindi sa akin, hindi sa NU. Inaamin ko lang. Nung hindi pa siya naglalaro ng UAAP, lahat naman ‘yun. Maraming gustong kumuha sa kanya,” said the former national team player.
“Pero usapan kasi dito, middle (of the season) eh, diba? Hindi ko ipagkakaila ‘yung una. Kahit sino, lahat naman ginagawa eh. Meron nga isang coach diyan eh — one week na lang mag-start ng season ng NCAA, diba? Kinukuha pa niya ‘yung dalawang player, diba?”
