JD Cagulangan wins KBL Rookie of Year award

Former UP star JD Cagulangan, playing for Suwon KT Sonicboom, is the latest Korean Basketball League (KBL) rookie of the year from the Philippines. –KBL SCREENGRAB

Filipino import JD Cagulangan of Suwon KT Sonicboom was named Korea Basketball League (KBL)’s Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the first player in team history to win the award.

Cagulangan, a standout from the University of the Philippines, received 57 out of 111 votes from the KBL press corps. He beat out teammate Park Sung-jae, who earned 32 votes.

READ: JD Cagulangan makes immediate impact for Suwon in KBL 

Cagulangan received the honor along with fellow Fighting Maroon Carl Tamayo, who was named into the KBL Best 5 during the KCC Professional Basketball Awards ceremony in a hotel in Gangnam, South Korea.

Just days after arriving in Korean, JD Cagulangan makes his debut for Suwon KT Sonicboom in the KBL.

Cagulangan is the second Asian quota player to win the award after RJ Abarientos in his stint with Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in the 2022–23 season. Under KBL rules, Asian quota players without prior professional experience are eligible for rookie honors.

READ: JD Cagulangan vows to live UP lessons

He joined the Sonicboom in January just shortly after his stint in the UAAP, where he left as a two-time champion. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in just over 21 minutes in 28 games this season.

Known for his speed and passing, Cagulangan helped Suwon KT power through to the KBL playoffs.

“I’m grateful to my teammates, the manager, and the coaches,” Cagulangan said during his acceptance speech. “And I thank those who gave me the opportunity to play in the KBL.”