FCM One-on-One presents:
Mr. Kelvin Dela Pena, Former Professional Basketball Player (PBA, PBL), Coach and Founder of Rise Up Hoops Basketball
PART II
FCM: What does it take to be a basketball pro?
KDP: Everybody wants to be a pro basketball player. But not everyone has the patience and the grit for it.
I was very lucky at a young age because I was obsessed with basketball.
Some kids say they like basketball or love it, but I don’t think they understand what that means. I see kids now that are consumed by social media, and consumed by so many distractions. I don’t think kids nowadays understand how much time you have to put in your training to become a pro.
For me, from a young age to becoming a pro, I didn’t let anything distract me. I was very focused.
Back then, my parents would give me five dollars a day, and I would save my money from Monday to Friday so I can pay drop in at the Leisure Centre or YMCA.
When I played pick-up ball, I would write down what I need to work on, what I’m lacking, and what my strengths were.
Monday to Friday I would show up to school 5 am in the morning and work on my weaknesses. I had this competition with the janitor. I had to be first at school before the janitor came.
Those were the things that got me into professional basketball.
It’s unfortunate now that there are so many distractions to our kids. They don’t understand what it takes to get there. Some think they do because they can pass, dribble, and shoot. But there’s way more to it than that. You’re constantly being challenged. And that doesn’t stop.,
It’s funny because when I was playing against the locals in the Philippines, some of them were not very well off. Some of them were poor. Some were from the provinces. Their meal a day was rice, salt, and water.
And there I was coming from Canada, eating three meals a day with a brand new pair of shoes and my mom sends me money. So I had to prove myself.
For those poor locals, getting a contract was like winning a lottery. For me, it was just playing basketball. I had to understand that they were more hungry than me.
I had to prove myself. I had to prove my time in Canada, but when I went back to the Philippines, they were hungrier than me, and I had to prove myself again.
It’s intense. People go after you. They don’t feel bad about you. No one cares for you when you’re overseas. You have to care for yourself. It’s a dog-eat-dog back there.
When I played collegiate, I got a bit of recognition. I got Rookie of the Year. But then I had to prove myself again, and I had to play every day to show that I belong.
From there I got my MVP. But am I good enough to play pro? I’m I good enough to sign a PBA contract? I had to prove myself again to the guys in PBA who have been playing for many years.
Each day you had to prove yourself.
I was this new guy from Calgary, Alberta. People asked where I’m from. I’d say Calgary. They’d say, “Where’s that?” People didn’t know where Calgary is. People would think I’m from L.A. or Florida because there’s a lot of Filipinos there. I had to tell people I’m from Canada.
So it was tough in overseas. People was just very different. Culturally people are so different. Looking back now, I had gone through a lot of things and experienced a lot.
FCM: So you went to the Philippines, you played collegiate, PBL, and then PBA. Tell us more about that.
KDP: When I was playing collegiate that’s when I got Rookie of the Year. I also played semi-pro.
When I made it to PBA, it was tough because I had a herniated disk. I landed on my back on a PBL games, and I had three discs that pop out of my back.
I was playing really good then. The players I played against during Alaska days and San Miguel days said, “You’re there man. You’re the next star.” But when I injured myself, it’s “whose next.” That’s the business.
I was handicapped for three years. My girlfriend had to help me shower because I could not move.
For the first couple of weeks, I had a wheelchair. My injury was career ending.
When I watch PBA games, the guys that were just starting, they’re now the stars. I remember in practice, these guys use to ask me questions. They use to ask me how to do this and that.
But that’s how it is, though. That’s life.
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