Javi Gomez de Liaño’s transfer from Terrafirma to Magnolia has proven to be the biggest move yet in the PBA offseason.
Javi Gomez de Liaño is feeling at home with the Magnolia Hotshots.
Traded from the Terrafirma Dyip for Jerrick Ahanmisi and a second round pick a week ago, Gomez de Liaño was recently introduced to the team in practice.
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The 27-year-old cager got a warm welcome from everyone and more.
“Team was very welcoming from the vets to coaches. Now it will be a bit easier for me because there is no language barrier for communication,” he told One Sports.
Gomez de Liaño, of course, was coming off a stint in the Korean Basketball League where he played for the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters.
He doesn’t see any hiccups adjusting to the new environment.
“I’ve learned to adapt to any system I’m playing for. I can play on and off ball and guarding the best players from each them every game,” he said.
Before leaving for Korea, Gomez de Liaño proved instrumental in the Dyip’s breakthrough quarterfinal appearance in the Season 48 Philippine Cup.
He averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists that conference before his departure.
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Now he returned home and joined a perennial contender in the Hotshots, who tapped a new coach in LA Tenorio.
Magnolia made the big changes in hopes of capturing its first championship since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
“I look forward to learning his winning ways and how they run things,” Gomez de Liaño said of Tenorio.
“I’m excited to come at the same time with coach LA and hopefully we build a winning dynasty together.”