By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The NLEX Road Warriors made it known that they need the services of their 2024 PBA Rookie Draft lottery pick Jonnel Policarpio after inking him to a three-year deal announced on July 29, 2024.
Policarpio was the sixth overall pick during the recently concluded PBA Draft ceremony and will officially suit up for NLEX when the import-laced conference kicks off this coming August.
A versatile forward who can handle the rock like a guard and attack the rim with aggressiveness, the Road Warriors expect tons of productivity from the former UAAP champion with the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers.
Present during his contract signing were the big bosses of the Road Warriors, president Luigi Bautista, team governor Ronald Duarte, and team manager Virgil Villavicencio.
Also present at the NLEX Corporation office was the Road Warriors’ newly designated head coach, Jong Uichico, who replaced Frankie Lim as the team’s chief tactician.
According to Uichico, Policarpio will be under their radar in the coming years and will be looking forward for his improvement as the seasons go by.
The seasoned coach added that they would be honored to hone Policarpio’s entire skill set and would strive for their best to help the 22-year-old star reach what he wants to be in the PBA.
“It will take patience from both sides for Jonnel to realize his full potential. As coaches, we want to be the ones who’ll teach him not just on the court, but also off of it. He’ll be an integral part of our team’s future,” Uichico said.
Policarpio is coming off a stellar UAAP season, helping the Green Archers take down their arch rivals UP Fighting Maroons for the championship title.
After their UAAP campaign, Policarpio was also massive for the Green Archers when he averaged over 14 points per game to help DLSU retain its PBA D-League championship title.
During the off-season of the UAAP, Policarpio announced that he will no longer pursue his collegiate years and jump straight to the country’s first professional league.
