Picked or not, declaring for PBA Draft still an achievement for unknown Gatmaitan

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Carlo Gatmaitan filed his application for the 2016 PBA Rookie Draft just to take a chance.

He travelled all the way from Paete, Laguna to attend the 2015 Draft Combine in Mandaluyong even despite knowing that the odds are stacked against him.

“Galing lang ako sa mga maliliit na school like St. Clare College of Caloocan at EAC Cavite. Ang last kong pinaglaruan is the FBA,” Gatmaitan, who had tattoos all over his body including tears inked just below the outer part of his eyes, resembling a famous rapper’s, told INQUIRER.net.

(I just came from small schools like St. Clare College of Caloocan and Emilio Aguinaldo College Cavite and I last played in the FilSports Basketball League.)

“Simula naman nung nag-file ako, hindi ko ine-expect na makuha ako. Hindi ako kilala. I’m not a superstar na katulad nung mga kasabay ko dito. Gagawin ko lang siguro yung best ko dito sa camp. I’m not expected na mada-draft talaga ako, kung pagkakaloob ni God sobrang happy talaga,” he said.

(From the time I filed my application, I’m not expecting that I will get called. I’m an unknown and I’m not a superstar like them. I’ll just try to do my best here in the camp. I’m really not expected to get drafted but if God gives me the opportunity I will be really happy.)

Gatmaitan’s decision to enter the Draft was a choice he had to make for his family.

“Pumasok ako sa Draft kasi para matulungan ko yung father ko and yung daughter ko. Tatlo lang din kami magkakasama so sumugal na din ako na sumali dito sa Draft para baka kung papalarin o suswertehin para lang sa anak ko at tatay ko,” said the 28-year-old guard.

(I joined the Draft in hopes to help my father and my daughter. There’s only three of us together so I gambled and joined the Draft that if I end up getting lucky it would be for my daughter and my father.)

The 5-foot-11 Gatmaitan stood out in the rookie camp because of all the applicants, no one knew about him or where he came from.

“Hindi naman ako scorer pero I think sa depensa yun talaga yung puhunan ko since nag-start ako maglaro sa college. Para sakin depensa talaga. Sa PBA si kuya Ronald Tubid talaga idol lalo na sa pagdating sa depensa.”

(I’m not a scorer but I think I really invested on my defense ever since I played in college. For me it’s really my defense. In the PBA, my idol is Ronald Tubid especially on defense.)

Like most of the aspirants, it’s a dream of his to make the PBA. But unlike many, it’s also an opportunity for him to turn his family’s fortunes around.

“Galing kasi ako sa broken family and dream lang namin ng father ko na makatikim ng konting ginhawa yung saktong pamumuhay lang. Hindi naman kami naghahangad ng sobra.”

(I came from a broken family and my dream as well as my father’s is to at least get a taste of the good life. We’re not aspiring for too much, we just want to have a better life.)

Gatmaitan’s shot at getting drafted is like reaching for the stars.

But if he does get called on Draft Day, he said it would be the happiest moment of his life. If he goes home empty handed, he said he would still be proud of himself.

“Siguro kung talagang papalarin na ma-draft ako ito na yung pinakamasayang pangyayari sa buhay ko simula nung pinanganak ako,” he said.

(If I get lucky to be drafted it would really be the happiest moment of my life ever since I was born.)

“Kung hindi man ako ma-draft, proud na proud pa din ako sa sarili ko kasi masasabi ko pa rin na nakasama ko yung mga superstar na pinapanood ko lang sa TV. Iba pa din yung experience ko dito sa camp na sobrang sarap and sobrang saya. Itong napasama ako sa camp malaking achievement na ito para sa akin.”

(If I don’t get drafted, I would still be really, really proud of myself because I can say that I was with the superstars that I only get to watch on TV. It’s also a different experience for me being part of the camp. The fact that I’m in the camp is already a big achievement on my part.)