From the Barangay to the PBA: The Rise of Mike Ayonayon

For a guy who was drafted third in the regular draft of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft last December, Mike Ayonayon's rise into the PBA should serve as an inspiration not just to aspiring basketball players but more importantly, for those who are struggling in life that if you are persevering, you will succeed. 

In last night's episode of "Bull By the Horn" by Benny Benitez, the discussion was all about the San Juan Knights- the defending champions in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). And it was another star-studded discussion as Benitez was joined in by Knights team owner and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Go for Gold owner and known sports patron, Jeremy Go, reigning Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Mike Ayonayon, and one of the best scorers in MPBL history in John Wilson. While most of the discussion was centered on how are the Knights are doing during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic,  among the topics that were discussed was Mike Ayonayon and him playing in the inter-barangay tournament. And in Ayonayon's words, he "saw players in the barangay level that are equally talented but don't get exposed" He then revealed that there was a time when he would play every day in the barangay leagues just to be able to earn extra money.

And the irony of it: Ayonayon didn't initially dream of playing in the PBA as he was someone who just wants to get a good education and get a job. He studied in Adamson but didn't play for the Soaring Falcons. He then accepted to play for the Team B of the Letran Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) after standing out in intramurals where he was spotted by Letran alumnus, Ronjay Enrile. Unfortunately, he never saw action for the Knights' Team A, and Ayonayon was recruited by the Philippine Christian University (PCU) who is now playing in the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU). And as mentioned by Ayonayon in last night's online discussion, it was during his playing years in PCU that he saw his basketball career boom. And that enabled Ayonayon to get a spot in the Marinerong Pilipino Skippers in the PBA D-League and eventually, the MPBL with the San Juan Knights. 

Another irony in Ayonayon's rise to the big stage: he wasn't projected to be even picked right in the first round of the draft last year and yet, Yeng Guiao will now have a new athletic guard to yell on and as the multi-titled PBA coach said it, "He is almost a ready-made PBA player"

Mike Ayonayon may have started at the barangay level and didn't even play in any of the country's major collegiate league and yet, the Mike Ayonayon that the MPBL is seeing will be the same Mike Ayonayon that the PBA will be seeing. And perhaps better. 

Screenshot is from the Facebook page of Pinoyliga.com