By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
PBA legend Jimmy Alapag is slowly making his name in the NBA G League as an assistant coach after helping the Stockton Kings to a crushing victory, 112-97, against the Santa Cruz Warriors for their first win of the season.
Manning the post fresh off their 2021 NBA Summer League championship, Alapag once again earned the trust of the Kings’ organization and reunited with head coach Bobby Jackson.
Alapag was tapped by the Kings’ Summer League coaching staff two years ago and eventually received the same assistant coach post offer when he moved into the United States with his family for good.
The former Gilas Pilipinas team captain brought his winning mentality to the 2021 Summer League roster when they took down the heavily-favored Boston Celtics team in the grand finals.
Alapag will have the chance to work side-by-side with Stockton’s finest talents in Louis King, who scored 33 points in the opening win, Neemias Queta, and Jahmi’us Ramsey.
This is just the first half of the NBA G League season and Alapag will seek to prove his post as the Kings’ assistant coach when they travel on the road in the next weeks.
“I think the players understand that I’m there to help them in any way that I can. I want them to continue growing as players and I want them to be successful,” Alapag said.
