ROOKIE Prince Rivero has a fellow La Sallian for his role model as PBA player.
The Rain or Shine newbie mentioned now retired forward Willy Wilson as a great inspiration to him as he turns a new leaf in his playing career.
Wilson, now a deputy coach at Phoenix, also had words of wisdom for the 6-foot-4 Rivero which he said served as guiding light for him.
"Meron talagang mga player na talented at hindi mo matatawaran. Pero meron din namang mga player na hindi na-blessed ng talent pero hardworker. And if hindi ako na-blessed ng talent, doon ako sa hardworker na part, na kailangan kong mag-trabaho on and off the court.
"Nakikita man yan ng coach o hindi, eventually at the end, kung anuman yung itinatanim ko, yun ang aanihin ko," said Rivero, who graces the first ever rookie edition of the PBA Kamustahan.
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Indeed, spoken in the mold of the 6-foot-3 Wilson, the hard-working veteran who stayed in the pro league long enough as a blue-collar worker.
Wilson, 40, won a championship with Barangay Ginebra in 2008 and played for 15 years in the PBA after being selected in the second round of the 2004 rookie draft by Alaska.
His durability is something Prince, elder brother of University of the Philippines guard Ricci Rivero, would likewise want to emulate.
"Also sabi niya alagaan ang katawan kasi knowing him, he's been in the PBA for what, how many years now, and he's still in shape," stressed Rivero, picked in the first round of the regular draft in 2019. "And I really looked up to him for that."
"Consistent naman siya and constant sa reminders, especially before sa akin and sa pag-remind sa Dad ko nang mga things na I should and should not do."
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Truly, an animo spirit. (RG)
