Chris Newsome at the UA x Slam PH Draft Suite. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Draft prospect Chris Newsome isn’t discounting the possibility of being teammates with Barangay Ginebra giant Greg Slaughter, whom he refers to as one of his best friends from Ateneo.
Newsome didn’t have the chance to play with Slaughter, who graduated a year before the high-leaping guard played for the Blue Eagles.
Both could find themselves playing for the same team with Ginebra owning the No. 5 pick in the Rookie Draft on Sunday.
“As far as being on the same team, I don’t know. I feel like it could happen,” said the 25-year-old Newsome, who was invited to a workout by Ginebra and hasn’t worked out with a different team other than the Kings yet.
“I’ll be really excited to play with him because I’ve always wanted to play with him. He actually graduated the year I came in so I missed him by one year in Ateneo. But I would love to play with the big man.”
After Moala Tautuaa and Troy Rosario, who are widely considered as the draft’s first two picks, everyone’s torn as to who will come next at third and onwards with a lot of talent left in the pool. Newsome could go from as high as No.3 to as low as a late first round selection.
Ginebra underwent a major shakeup when Tim Cone, the league’s winningest coach, was appointed to run the franchise’s sidelines. Cone could go with Newsome and add youth, versatility and length at the guard spot with Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa not getting any younger.
While Newsome has thought about the possibility of getting picked by Ginebra and joining Slaughter, he hasn’t counted out the idea of how exciting it would also be being to also be in the same court as his buddy but wearing different uniforms.
“But if it doesn’t happen, I’d also like to play against him (Slaughter). There’s nothing wrong with some friendly competition.”
“Dunking on him? He’s a big guy. Maybe on a sneak, on the offensive rebound when he’s not looking or he’s not paying attention,” the 6-foot-2 Newsome said with a laugh. “But who knows? he has a better chance of dunking on me.”
But regardless of who his new teammates will be, Newsome just can’t wait for what’s ahead.
“I’m nervous and relieved at the same time because it’s been a long journey. I’ve been waiting for this moment in my life and being a professional at one point in time is something that we dream of as basketball players when we were young.” CFC