By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Magnolia Hotshots Chicken Timplados just sealed its rookie floor general Jerom Lastimosa to a three-year deal announced on July 26, 2024.
Despite being in recovery mode after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during his last year in the UAAP with the Adamson Soaring Falcons, the Chicken Timplados still offered him the bag and is expecting huge things from the savvy backcourt.
Lastimosa was the ninth overall pick during the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft and was immediately present in Magnolia’s practice facility for his official welcome.
With the signing of Lastimosa, Magnolia just found a valuable replacement for their former guard Jio Jalalon who was traded to the NorthPort Batang Pier as part of the Zavier Lucero package.
Before entering rehabilitation, Lastimosa gained vast basketball experience with Strong Group Athletics when he reinforced the team during the 32nd Dubai International Championship last year.
After his commitment to Strong Group, Lastimosa was initially bound for an international hoops stint but made up his mind after playing his final year with the Soaring Falcons.
The savvy scoring guard shared that he received offers from Korea and Japan to play professional basketball but was still undecided due to his standing promise for Adamson.
Multiple sources reported that Lastimosa was being courted by Jeonju KCC Aegis of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and an undisclosed franchise from the Japan B. League.
Now that Lastimosa entered the PBA Draft, he will be out to shut his doubters and boost the Chicken Timplados’ backcourt rotation.
Lastimosa will be mentored by two of the greatest guards of the modern PBA, Mark Barroca and Paul Lee, and will play under the coaching of Chito Victolero.
