Jhaz Joson is a true hooper. Wherever basketball is played, trust that the former Ateneo Blue Eagle and Gilas Pilipinas Women standout will be there, ready to play.
Basketball has always been considered a universal language, and it has brought Filipina cager Jhaz Joson to the ends of the earth and back.
Having started out in the US during her early years, Joson made her way home to the Philippines to play in the UAAP with Ateneo Blue Eagles, where she dazzled on her way to multiple Final Four appearance for the Katipunan-based squad.
Joson’s dream then brought her the Land Down Under, signing deals with Australian NBL One teams like Goldfields Giants and the Joondalup Wolves for her professional career.
Even the national team have come calling for Joson, and she was part of several Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team, most recently in Thailand for the 3x3 competition of SEA Games 2025.
Though each environment is different, Joson has always been focused on one thing: basketball.
One Sports caught up with Joson on this edition of Off the Record to delve deeper into her life as a basketball player.
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One Sports: A lot of women basketball players in the Philippines don’t get opportunities right away after their college career. How did it help in furthering your dream that deals came to you early?
Jhaz Joson: For me, you know, like, I know a lot of girls, I guess the older generation, they didn't have anything to look forward to after school because there were no leagues for women's basketball, no [local] professional leagues.
So now that there are more professional leagues coming up, I think the older generation is starting to come back again and play basketball again, which is amazing because they have so much experience and knowledge.
I think that also strengthens the women's basketball here and it really recognizes them better and, you know, like all the talent who just keep going out for the women's basketball.
OS: How do you deal with life as a professional athlete abroad?
Jhazmin: Well, I'm a very independent person, so I like to just play basketball. So wherever basketball is, I will go there. It doesn't matter where it is, as long as I'm playing, I can adjust.
OS: In Australia, you have fellow Filipina players, like Stefanie Berberabe and Hazelle Yam. How did that help you in your transition?
Jhazmin: Yeah, it was good. It was good seeing a familiar face. You know, I was alone, but I was actually with the host family back in Australia, also Filipino, which is amazing.
But yeah, seeing a familiar face really helped a lot, despite that I was being alone and, you know, I wasn't just a Filipino player who's playing also, even Yammy. So it's really great to see more Filipinos that play overseas and we can show and represent that. We can also do it too.
OS: Unlike before, there are more Filipinas now getting the attention in basketball. How do you feel about that growth?
Jhazmin: I think for me, it's who started it and who was behind all of this. Like you said, Ate Allana [Lim], Ate Raiza [Palmera-Dy], like all the bigger names, Jack Animam. So I think the, I would say the people who played before us, the older generation, they started that foundation for the women's basketball here.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.