INQUIRER photo/ AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines — Homegrown talent Japeth Aguilar moved another step closer to his dream of making it to the NBA.
The 25-year-old Aguilar, product of Western Kentucky, was drafted 13th in the seventh round by the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA D-League draft Saturday morning in Manila, according to the NBA website.
If signed, Aguilar becomes the first ever Filipino to play in the NBA D-League, where a number of players start their climb to the NBA.
Hasheem Thabeet and Hamed Haddadi also played with Warriors while Taylor Griffin, brother of LA Clippers’ star Blake, is in the roster.
The Santa Cruz, California based squad — previously known as the Dakota Wizards before relocating– last won the D-League title in the 2006-2007 season.
Aguilar, who played for Talk N’ Text in the PBA and Ateneo in the UAAP, tried his luck with NBA squads like the New Orleans during their pre-season camps, but missed the bus completely.