MANILA, Philippines – TNT veteran guard Jayson Castro shared his admiration for Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos, expressing confidence that Abarrientos will soon dominate the guard position in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Castro, 38, remarked on Wednesday that Abarrientos could emerge as a leading guard in “two to three years,” given his impressive performance in the PBA playoffs.
Yet, it was Castro who took the spotlight as he propelled TNT to a decisive 2-0 advantage in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
“For sure, he’s going to be a challenge for a lot of players,” Castro commented. “In two to three years, we’ll see how he takes over the guard role. You can already see his potential, especially in the series against San Miguel.”
Castro also acknowledged that Abarrientos is having a stronger rookie season than he had himself, saying, “He’s definitely better than I was as a rookie.
If you compare my rookie season to his, he’s playing at a higher level. That’s a given because RJ is incredibly skilled—not just here, but even in Korea, where he was named Rookie of the Year.”
Expressing appreciation for Abarrientos’ respect, Castro, a former Gilas Pilipinas mainstay, concluded his remarks by highlighting his admiration for the young talent.
“I’m really thankful for the respect coming from rookies like him,” Castro said. “In terms of our rookie years, he’s on another level. He’s an amazing player.
Not many people know this, but I love watching him play.”
TNT and Ginebra will face off again in Game 3 on Friday, November 1, at the Araneta Coliseum.