Ettore Guidetti welcomed Nxled's blockbuster offseason additions, embracing the pressure with the Chameleons entering the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference as immediate title contenders.
The past few PVL seasons have been rough for the Nxled Chameleons. But heading into the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference, the conversation has shifted dramatically.
Suddenly, the Chameleons are no longer viewed as fringe playoff hopefuls. Instead, they are entering the new year as legitimate title contenders.
That shift comes on the back of a headline-grabbing offseason, one that saw Nxled welcome multiple championship-tested veterans following Petro Gazz’s leave of absence from the league.
For Italian head coach Ettore Guidetti, the influx of talent is both a blessing and a responsibility.
“First of all, for me, it’s a blessing, and I’m super, super grateful for this opportunity, so thanks for the girls to join us,” Guidetti said. “We knew 100% that Nxled is a family-type team, and we are very, very happy to find another team that is a family too.”
Over the past few days, Nxled announced the signings of three-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle, two-time Finals MVP MJ Phillips, star veterans Myla Pablo, Jonah Sabete, and Bang Pineda, among others.
MJ Phillips, Brooke Van Sickle, and Myla Pablo are now with the Nxled Chameleons. | Photo: Mei-Lin Lozada/One Sports
While the names alone easily raised expectations, Guidetti stressed that what impressed him most was not the players’ resumes, but their mindset.
“Yes, they are veterans, yes, they are the girls that won the last conferences,” he said. “But the truth is, what I found is girls willing to be better, super humble, open-minded. It’s super simple to coach these types of girls, and now I get why they are winning in their careers.”
[ALSO READ: PVL: Van Sickle, Pablo, Phillips embrace fresh start in major Nxled rebuild]
From rebuilding years to immediate title contenders
With so much proven talent added, Nxled now carries pressure comparable to a defending champion—something Guidetti openly acknowledged.
“Yeah, sure, it’s a big responsibility and we all know that,” he said. “That’s our goal—to bring this new team and this old team at the same time to the top of the rank, to try to play in the Finals and to have as much as possible Finals in the next years.”
For now, Guidetti emphasized simplicity in building his system with the squad, given the limited preparation time before the conference begins.
“The idea is pretty simple—we don’t have that much time,” Guidetti explained. “So the only way for the team to play together is to connect as simple as possible the Nxled way to play to the Petro way to play.”
“My expectation is to evolve during the season and to be ready to play as much as possible at our best in the last part,” he added.
[ALSO READ: Ettore Guidetti introduces Italian style of coaching to PVL with Nxled Chameleons]
All eyes will be on the Chameleons when the All-Filipino Conference begins on January 31.
(With reports from Mei-lin Lozada/One Sports Digital)
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.