Four years since retiring, Rommel Adducul is back in the PBA. Not as a player, of course.
The celebrated big man has just joined the Blackwater Elite’s coaching staff. He has been tasked to develop the team’s young frontcourt players following the departure of 6-foot-8 center Poy Erram.
Adducul officially joined the Elite last December 27.
“It’s nice to be back here in the PBA,” said Adducul moments after Blackwater’s practice, Saturday. “Kasi before assistant din ako sa GlobalPort. Fortunately, nabigyan ako ng opportunity ni coach Bong magturo sa mga big man nila.
“Very thankful ako.”
The 42-year-old’s arrival to the Elite has formed a reunion between Adducul and head coach Bong Ramos. Ramos was an assistant coach to the Manila Metrostars in the MBA, where Adducul was one of the team’s aces.
“Si coach Bong since nung MBA kami naging coach ko siya. And then alam niya pasok sa system niya yung ginagawa ko before when I was playing basketball,” said Adducul, who played in the second pro league until 2002.
Ramos, for his part, said that Adducul will greatly benefit the Elite.
“Malaki. Kailangan ko lalo wala akong big man masyado. Maganda naman tinuturo niya. Tugma dun sa sistemang ginagawa ko kaya nga siya yung kinausap ko,” said Ramos, who’s entering his second season with Blackwater.
Eyes are on Adducul and the Elite on how their bigs will grow, especially now that they have to fill in the shoes left by the reliable Erram.
Erram has been traded to the NLEX Road Warriors in exchange for incoming rookies Paul Desiderio and Abu Tratter.
But Adducul will have no difficulty teaching the young bigs of Blackwater such as Tratter, Raymar Jose, and Mac Belo, as he has nothing but good things to say for the players’ efforts and good reception in practices.
“Mababait. ‘Pag nagtuturo ako sa kanila… kasi one hour before regular practice namin pinapa-skills na sila ni coach Bong. Okay naman sila, nagagawa nila isang turo ko lang,” said Adducul, a former assistant coach in GlobalPort.
“Assistant coach ako ngayon sa LPU, ‘pag sa mga big man namin sa LPU kailngan turuan mo ng turuan, pero pagdating sa PBA isang turo mo lang kuha kaagad. Pero constant repetition pa rin,” furthered Adducul.
“Every time may nakikita akong mali nila na puwede nila i-improve, nakukuha naman nila. Very accommodating yung mga big man namin dito.”
The 6-foot-6 Tratter, on the other hand, is thrilled to have somebody like Adducul – who played 11 seasons in the PBA and won three championships – help him learn the ropes and become more prepared for the upcoming season.
“It’s great!” he said.
“Coach Rommel helps us even before practice, making sure our inside presence is an important thing. We lost JP, so the team wants to make sure that our inside presence can mimic, or can even be better, than what we had last conference.”
