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Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Praises RJ Abarrientos as the ‘Asian Steph Curry

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October 28, 2024
rondae hollis-jefferson parises rj abberientos

New York Knicks forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has sparked controversy regarding Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 Governor’s Cup fans and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel rookie RJ Abarrientos.

One of the TNT Tropang Giga players, Hollis-Jefferson, a former NBA player also said to Abarrientos I can say he is the ‘Asian Steph Curry,” with so much flair, shooting ability, and great energy. These two players are not strangers to each other, this is not the first time when they have met on the field.

The two were both in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in 2022/23 when Hollis-Jefferson represented Jeonju KCC Egis and Abarrientos started his professional basketball career with Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus.

For Abarrientos the testimonial from Hollis-Jefferson is a big boost that he needed. Due to his high-spirited energetic playmaking, remarkable ability in handling the ball, and sharp shooting prowess from downtown as a rookie, the player has made a tremendous impact in the PBA after signing for the Barangay Ginebra. His court senses and assured scoring skills take significant brand new templates to lovers of the Governor’s Cup, his teammates, and staff members inclusive of Coach Tim Cone.

Hollis Jefferson's Praise for Abarrientos: A Closer Look

In fact, in the PBA finals press conference, Hollis-Jefferson gave his point of view about Abarrientos admitting that he has been a fan of the latter’s play since the two were playing in South Korea. The 4 times NBA champion Former player drew a parallel with the young Abarrientos, who was confident as a puzzles master, swift on the floor like lightning, and as a shooter was as excellent as Curry who revolutionized basketball.

‘I was in Korea when he was there,’ admitted Hollis-Jefferson. That is as far as I can remember him – since he featured in his first year of professional football. I’d crawl back to my mom’s house then tell her ‘This dude, he is like an Asian Curry. He does the fancy dribble, pull up from downtown.’ I think he is great since Korea his game,” Hollis-Jefferson said when asked about the rookie's performance on the floor.

The spectatorism identified by Hollis-Jefferson is underlined by the fact that Abarrientos offers to the game not only skill but also flair that is practically absent in PBA. As one of the stars of TNT confessed the Abarrientos is a special example of an energizer and accurate basketball player in the field. “I think that’s the kind of guy he is,” Hollis-Jefferson said.

Despite their amicable relationship, Tim is more of a traditional kind of coach. You can say it from his attitude in the offense—he takes what he wants. But you bring in RJ, a younger guy, and he would give this team a little youthful, energetic feel because of that. I guess he is talented and the ability to raise the talent level of his teammates makes him great.”

Abarrientos’ Journey from KBL to PBA: A Rising Star

He is a very young player and yet he has done a lot for the team—for the PBA, in general, and he is only 24 years old. He established himself in South Korea then he began his professional career in the KBL. In his first season in Ulsan Hyundai Mobis, he scored 13.3 points, made 4.8 assists, grabbed 2.8 rebounds made 1.3 steals, and earned himself the Rookie of the Year award. The honors and periods of work abroad prepared him for the kind of experiences that he needed to achieve back home in the Philippines.

However, his career path was a roller-coaster after his stent in Korea Beginning as the team’s guard and a star player of the Philippine team, Abarrientos’ journey was far from being straight-forward. Abarrientos played for Shinshu Brave Warriors in Japan B. League however when the team was relegated, he struggled to campaign for the team which saw him being released from the team as well. Picking up the cudgels to be with his family and go back to his roots, Abarrientos transferred to Barangay Ginebra, with which he has thrived especially in the Governor’s Cup.

The Challenge Ahead: PBA Finals and Facing TNT

How this young talent will do in the Matchup Between Abarrient Led Barangay Ginebra and Tnt Tropang Giga- There Is a Lot of Hype With This One as Fans and Analysts Are More Than Excited about How This Young Talent Will Perform on One of the Highest Stages of Philippine Basketball. His valuable contributions to the team are his intensity and versatility which benefited the team when he joined the Barangay Ginebra. The 27-year-old gunner basked in the highlight of Career Governor’s Cup semifinals against San Miguel Beermen, which led him to receive the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week award for October 16 to 20 as he anchors the key player in the team.

At the same time, the finals series means a personal test for Hollis-Jefferson, who performs for the TNT club. After successfully defending the PBA Governor’s Cup title and being named the conference’s Best Import, he aims to secure another title. Such a statement indicates that he knows the capability of the young rookie Abarrientos to rival him in basketball. But Hollis-Jefferson just keeps his eyes on the prize to help TNT touchdown for another win and spice up the finals clash with Barangay Ginebra.

The Cone-Reyes Rivalry and Focus on Players

It seems that the media campaign has focused on PBA coaching titans Tim Cone and Chot Reyes but the two affirmed that the battle is all about the players. Cone and Reyes have been crossing paths in the PBA finals series seven times and this has always created a buzz. Still, both Kounde and Deschamps have refused the label suggesting that it will be the performance of the players on the field that will determine who is better between the two.

Abarrientos will be very prominent as part of the team that Cone is expected to handle for Barangay Ginebra. However, TNT will find itself heavily on Hollis-Jefferson's leadership and play-making ability. When two teams arrive at the finals the interest in the meeting of these teams reaches the maximum level. Abarrientos being a youthful player is a plus factor to the team as Hollis-Jefferson is an experienced import Hence, the 2024 Governor’s Cup final is set up for an exciting show yet.

OKBet: Your Go-To Platform for PBA Betting

But for the fans eager for more interaction, OKBet has this opportunity for fans to be involved with the game. OKBet is Asia’s leading online sports betting site and enables basketball fans to bet and track every significant play during the Governor’s Cup finals series. And through an accessible application and based on reliability, fans have the opportunity to bet on their favorites, including Asian newcomers like RJ Abarrientos or experienced imports like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

That is why being a member of OKBet is special – you will be viewing each PBA finals game as another level of excitement on top of the basic emotions. Right from being able to monitor the recent statistics to being able to bet on special moments in a match, gests, and goals scored among other events, OKBet keeps the fans engaged in the competition. Therefore, when the Barangay Ginebra and the TNT Tropang Giga tangle, do not hesitate to take part in the fun and guess the winners on OKBet.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

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