William Navarro isn’t shying away from the pressure that comes with donning a Magnolia jersey.
After all, he’s joining one of the most storied franchises in the PBA — currently the league-leaders in the ongoing 2024 Philippine Cup.
“There’s no pressure on my part. If you think about it, palagi namang may pressure sa basketball — kasi siyempre, a lot of people are expecting something from you, and madaming nanonood sa’yo. Pero it’s all about how you view things,” Navarro told Tiebreaker Times a day after being traded by NorthPort in exchange for Calvin Abueva and Jerrick Balanza.
“My mindset every game, ever since college, is that it’s just another game. All I care about is playing the right way and doing what I do best.”
Still, there’s added motivation for Navarro — he’s out to settle unfinished business with his former NorthPort teammate Zavier Lucero.
The two were initially tapped to be the future cornerstone duo of the Batang Pier. However, due to both players recovering from ACL injuries, their time together on the court was short-lived. It was only during the 2024 Philippine Cup that they finally suited up together.
Their partnership lasted just 10 games before Lucero was dealt to Magnolia in a blockbuster trade involving Jio Jalalon and Abu Tratter ahead of the 2024–25 PBA season.
(C) PBA Images
“It feels good to play alongside Lucero again kasi he’s a smart player,” said Navarro on their reunion.
“I’m happy to be part of Magnolia. I’m excited to play with these guys.”
Navarro had a stellar individual campaign in the Philippine Cup for struggling NorthPort. He averaged 20.57 points — good for fourth-best in the league — along with 10.57 rebounds, 1.86 assists, and 1.14 steals per game.
But he’s well aware that replicating those numbers won’t be easy now that he’s on a deeper, championship-caliber roster.
What matters most to him now is winning — and potentially clinching that elusive PBA title.
“Yes, maganda ang ginagawa ko sa NorthPort, and hopefully magawa ko rin ‘yon sa Magnolia. Pero it’s not like I’ll force anything just to get my averages,” he said.
“All I care about is the win. I’ll do whatever I can to help this team win every game.”
