When Filipino lightweight Trestle “Jun Minion” Tan is not busy preparing for an outing in ONE Championship, he’s strutting his wares as a basketball player in a local league in Vietnam.
Tan is currently playing in the ‘Taya Basketball League,’ a league based in Ho Chi Minh City where their games are picked up by a local network in the country.
Being a Filipino, Tan’s love for hoops comes as no surprise.
“I play as forward under Team El Gaucho, and I’m proud to say that we’re leading the team standings at the moment,” Tan shared proudly.
“Basketball really helps me to stay fit, especially in terms of cardio. Sprinting along the court is quite a good workout, especially in the heat outside. But of course it’s not my main training, but a good hobby that has a benefit on my cardio too.”
For Tan, it’s such a blessing that his physical fitness comes naturally from the thing he loves.
Basketball has always been his secondary sport in the Philippines, and he’s just grateful that he still gets play competitive games even though he’s now under the ONE Championship banner.
“Basketball is a sport I grew up with besides boxing in the Philippines. Everyone plays it at a young age with every little village having a basketball court,” Tan shared.
“Martial arts is my true and real passion, but basketball is just a part of my life and gives me a lot of joy and extra fulfillment.”
“Jun Minion” stumbled upon basketball when his mother asked him to stop boxing and focus on other sports.
Trying different events like Sepak Takraw and Track and Field right after boxing, Tan shared that no sport filled the void much like basketball.
“I fell in love with basketball because I felt quite good at it and I was quite tall at that age, I had quite some advantage too,” Tan shared.
“But even though I had a successful career at a young age in basketball, I always felt something missing in my life and it was martial arts that gave me true fulfillment.”
Asked about his basketball ‘idol,’ Tan did not think twice in naming Michael Jordan as his main inspiration.
He doesn’t quite play like him, but at least he can take some of His Airness’ competitive fire both in and out of the court.
“Of course I don’t want to compare myself to him, but I can relate to him as a person who aims to become better and better in life.”
