LA Tenorio is the head coach and Jason Webb is new team governor as SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua confirmed major changes for the Magnolia Hotshots ahead of the PBA's 50th season.
LA Tenorio is the new head coach of Magnolia Hotshots.
SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua confirmed the blockbuster PBA move before the Gilas Pilipinas-Macau Black Bears sendoff match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday, July 28.
Tenorio is replacing Chito Victolero, who coached the Hotshots for nine years at steered to team to the 2018 Governors’ Cup crown.
Victolero was named PBA Coach of the Year that same season.
Chua bared the idea to give Tenorio a PBA head coaching job stemmed from his gold-medal campaign with Gilas Pilipinas Youth in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers last May.
Notably, that was Tenorio’s first tournament as Gilas Youth head coach, following his appointment in late 2024.
“Actually this was planned a month ago or a week ago… biniro ko siya after winning the gold sa SEABA, I said ‘pwede ka na.’ Dun nag umpisa yun,” said Chua.
“Everybody knows he's a very talented guy, very smart, a leader.”
Chua also bared that Jason Webb will be the new governor of the Hotshots, which last tasted PBA glory during the aforementioned Governors’ Cup in 2018.
“Bagong coach, bagong governor,” said Chua.
With Magnolia now a team in transition, Chua isn’t exactly expecting results right away. However, there’s optimism that Tenorio can carry over his success as a player into the sidelines as a coach.
“We’re not expecting that much kasi bago pa lang si LA. But for sure he’ll be good as a head coach,” he said.