‘Athletic’ Japeth impresses NBA D-League coach

Japeth Aguilar, the former PBA No. 1 pick, got impressive reviews after he showcased his skills before NBA and NBA Development League coaches and officials, according to the Asian Journal, a Filipino-American newspaper based in the United States.

Aguilar, who played for Talk ‘N Text in the PBA, caught the fancy of the NBA D-League squad Bakersfield Jam coaching staff during an open try out held recently at the East Los Angeles College.

“Japeth is an intriguing player,” Jam head coach Will Voigt told the Asian Journal recently. “Obviously, he has length and athleticism. He’s been playing as a four or a five (power forward/center) in the Philippines, we’ll have to transition him into a three (small forward). But he’s shown flashes throughout the weekend that makes you want to see more.”

During the scrimmage, Aguilar scored 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting, pulled down four rebounds, blocked five shots and had an assist in a 62-48 losing effort for his team. More than 80 players joined the tryouts last Saturday. Coaches trimmed the list to 20 with Aguilar among those who made the cut.