A projected first-rounder in the 2020 PBA Rookie Draft, Santi Santillan has found himself a home.
The former De La Salle University Green Archer has officially signed with top-tier sports agency HypeSports X EMBM. The contract signing was held last Thursday at the Hotel Benildo in Taft Avenue.
Though it took Santillan a while to decide on who would represent him, the 22-year-old forward believes that the wait was all worth it.
“Ako lang pumili kasi may tiwala ako kay Boss Marvin. Tiwala lang, wala naman mawawala,” the soft-spoken workhorse shared.
“Very experienced sila eh. Makakatulong sila na makadating ako sa PBA.”
“Well obviously, from his time playing in La Salle, we knew he was talented. There is potential for him to be a game-changer in the pros,” agency Head of Public Relations Naveen Ganglani remarked about the 6-foot-5 big man.
“Even before us, may mga achievements na siya on his own. What we can provide is guidance and help him. We won’t make promises that we ‘ll make him a star,” said agency partner Marvin Espiritu.
“Our objective for him is to have a long PBA career.”
In his final year in La Salle, Santillan posted norms of 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds. He currently plays for the Marinerong Pilipino Skippers in the PBA D-League and the 1Bataan Risers in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3.
“Kung dadaanin mo sa posisyon marami siyang katuland. There’s Bong Hawkins na hindi flashy, trabaho lang at team player. Puwede siya parang maging ganun,” replied Espiritu on who he sees as a peg for Santillan.
“Pero siyempre we want him to build his own name.”
But more than his on-court exploits, what attracted HypeSports X EMBM to lock up the Cebuano was his being a “family man.” At a young age, Santillan had to move away from Cebu to chase his dreams in Manila. In addition, his wife and kid had been in Hawaii for quite a while.
And he used this as motivation.
“Iba si Santi. Kuntento siya with what he has, pero meron din siyang mga pangarap. Family man, may pangarap, at most importantly gutom siya,” said Espiritu.
“Besides being a great basketball player, he also is a better human being. Mabait yung bata, family man, works hard, doesn’t complain,” added Ganglani.
“That’s the type of talent that we want to have, people that are talented on the court and better people outside of it.”
With the agency, he will join fellow La Sallian Aljun Melecio and former Mighty Sports teammates Troy Rike and Juan Gomez de Liano.
Safe to say, he found a new family with HypeSports X EMBM.
“Our relationship will go beyond basketball.
“Yan yung sinasabi ko lagi sa mga players namin, ang relationship namin hindi natatapos sa basketball. Kung ano masusupport namin after basketball, nandito ako sa kanila kahit anong mangyari,” said Espiritu.
“Sobrang saya kasi malayo nga ako sa pamilya ko. Nakahanap ako ng panibagong pamilya dahil sa kanila,” expressed Santillan.
