Favour Onoh will no longer just wear a University of the Philippines jersey.
Soon, after completing her naturalization process, the 6-foot-4 center will don the blue and white of Gilas Pilipinas for the foreseeable future.
And when that day arrives, Onoh will relish every moment of it.
“Right now, I’m very, very excited. I’ve always wanted to be part of Gilas and play for the nation,” the UAAP Season 86 Rookie of the Year told Tiebreaker Times.
“I can’t wait to put on that blue jersey.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, Onoh made the decision to change nationalities from Nigerian to Filipino.
It took extensive consultation with her family and her home base, Discover I’m Alive Basketball Academy, before she could unite everyone in this new chapter of her life.
“Firstly, I discussed it with my academy back home, and then with my family,” the 18-year-old shared.
“Being part of Gilas is a tremendous opportunity to support my community back home. They were the ones who encouraged me to pursue basketball, and I really want to give back,” she added.
“When this opportunity arose, I had to seize it not only for myself but also for everyone who supported me.”
The Onoh household, on the other hand, fully supported her decision.
“When I told my parents, they didn’t believe it. It happened so fast. They were very excited and proud of me. Everything just happened so fast. They were really excited for me,” she gushed.
Onoh’s first year with the Fighting Maroons had been nothing short of spectacular. She averaged 10.07 points, 13.93 rebounds, 3.21 blocks, and 1.29 steals, powering UP to a third-place finish.
Having the opportunity to play overseas is something Onoh does not take for granted.
That is why, once she settles down, she looks forward to helping provide opportunities to other dreamers like herself.
“Yes, I want to establish my own academy to provide for those kids who couldn’t afford to travel or buy equipment,” revealed Onoh, who started playing basketball at the age of 14.
“Helping those kids has always been my dream, and hopefully, I can make it happen.”
Still young and with her prime years ahead of her, Onoh looks forward to playing with the country’s top ballers.
At the top of her list are learning from Jack Animam and Andrea Tongco.
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“I’ve been playing with Louna (Ozar) for a long time, but I’m eager to play with Jack and Tongco as well. Andrea is also a fantastic guard; I admire her skills. I’ll learn a lot from them because they’re at a higher level than me.”
Onoh also harbors big dreams for Gilas, the biggest of which is to lead the Philippines to the Olympics under her watch.
“My goal is to give my best every day. Every game will feel like a championship game to me. As a member of the team, I’ll always give my all,” she said confidently.
“I’m very sure that we’ll reach the Olympics one day.”
Finally, she is hoping that playing internationally will give her a chance to achieve her big dream of playing in the WNBA.
“Being part of Gilas is an opportunity for me to pursue my dream of reaching the WNBA. If given the chance to play for Gilas, it would serve as a stepping stone towards achieving my goal of joining the WNBA.”
