Richie Rodger is staying put.
The 28-year-old Fil-Kiwi guard signed a one-year contract extension with the NLEX Road Warriors during the 2025 Kadayawan Invitational Basketball Tournament in Davao.
Present during the signing were team governor Ronald Dulatre, team manager Virgil Villavicencio, and his agent Marvin Espiritu of Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management.
Rodger, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 PBA Draft, expressed his excitement about continuing his journey with the team.
“I’m very happy to remain with NLEX. I think we’re building something special here, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” said Rodger, whose signing comes at a crucial time as the franchise looks to build momentum heading into the league’s milestone 50th season.
The Road Warriors are fresh off a run to the quarterfinals in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup but fell short despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage.
For Rodger, who played only four games last conference while recovering from appendicitis, the setback is both a source of frustration and motivation.
“After missing most of our last conference with appendicitis, I’m excited to be back with the team after seeing how well we played getting to the quarterfinals,” Rodger said.
“It was unfortunate that we fell short with the twice-to-beat advantage, and that was tough for everyone, but that serves as motivation for us going into PBA Season 50.”
Now fully recovered, Rodger feels determined to make up for lost time and repay the trust given to him by the franchise.
“I’m really looking forward to taking the court again and hopefully I can contribute and help us take the next step as a team,” he added.
