How Kyt Jimenez went from almost being undrafted to PBA champ

MANILA — Kyt Jimenez might just have concluded his first conference with the San Miguel Beermen, but he has already achieved something that the majority can only dream of — winning a PBA championship.

“For me, sobrang swerte kong nanalo agad,” he told ABS-CBN News, moments before he joyously exited the Araneta Coliseum last Wednesday following their 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 6 victory over the Magnolia Hotshots.

The rookie, however, did not get any playing time during the bout. In fact, he only saw action in the finals during SMB’s blowout victory in Game 2, putting up two points in over three minutes of stepping foot on the hard court.

That is why when the Beermen were clawing back from an 11-point deficit with only seven minutes remaining in Game 6, Jimenez could only ask for divine intervention.

 Kyt Jimenez during Game 6 of the 2023-24 PBA Finals. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News. 

“Pero ‘yun nga eh, wala, nag-pray lang ako kanina. Pray lang ako ng pray kanina, ang laki ng hinabol ng mga teammates ko.”

“Will ni Lord ‘yun, na makuha namin ‘yung championship,” he continued.

Much can be said for him during the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft.

Despite being a fan favorite because of his stellar play in local barangay leagues A.K.A. ‘ligang labas’ which made him an online sensation, Jimenez saw himself among those still waiting for their names to be called after over 70 hopefuls were already picked during the draft.

And this was when the heavens answered his prayers, with his future teammate Simon Enciso officially declaring that San Miguel has opted to give Jimenez a chance to play with Jorge Gallent’s squad

”This will be our last pick,” said Enciso last September at the Ayala Malls Market! Market! in Taguig City.

”The San Miguel Beermen select Kyt Jimenez,” he continued as the already dead crowd suddenly popped after their idol was called as the No. 76 overall pick.

But again, this was only a chance to get signed.

Even Jimenez himself knew that despite being an absolute superstar in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, with him at one point making history after tallying a rare 33-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist, 11-steal quadruple-double, there were no guarantees.

“That time, nung na-pick nila ako, nag-focus lang ako kung paano ako makakapasok ng 100% sa lineup,” said the former Far Eastern University Team B player. “Kasi hindi naman dahil na tawag nila ako sa San Miguel, player nila ako.”

“After nila ako ma-draft, nag-practice muna ako,” added Jimenez, explaining what happened after the draft proceedings.

“Kumbaga parang try-out na naman ulit muna.”

This was not new for the Mavs Phenomenal Basketball product.

After only getting a chance with FEU’s reserve team, he had to leave Morayta to look for better opportunities. Jimenez tried out for other schools as he continuously searched for the right place where he could showcase his skills.

With determination and sacrifice, Jimenez eventually cracked the lineup of University of Perpetual Help in the NCAA. He played in the second round of Season 94 just before bowing out in the Final Four against the fiery San Beda University.

Unfortunately, injuries hampered his collegiate stint with the Las Piñas cagers. Jimenez suffered two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, one in each knee, in three years. The second one even resulted in him tearing his meniscus, his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

One silver lining in his limited play in the grand-old league is that it gave him optimism that he could hoop with some of college’s best and brightest, and he banked on this as he went on his path to recover.

The same can be said with his playing time with SMB at present.

Fortunately, he has been healthy since he played in the regional league in 2022, but the former MPBL Rookie of the Year has actually only played in two PBA games, one during the elimination round and one in the finals.

“Naging challenge sa ’kin yung gusto ko pa mag-contribute sa loob ng court. Kasi pag ginagamit ako, ‘yung lamang na kami, or kami ‘yung tambak, or kaunting minuto na lang,” Jimenez admitted. “Siguro, dahil na rin nangangapa pa ako dahil nga rookie.”

“Pero for me, kaya namang ma-overcome eh. Konting panahon pa. Alam ko naman na tatrabahuhin ko yun eh, hindi ko naman siya basta bastang makukuha,” he added.

Jimenez’s path to the “pinakamataas na liga dito sa Pilipinas,” as he would say, is full of hurdles, to say the least. But the way that he has handled all of those adversities is something that cannot be taken away from him.

And as he continues to strive harder in his PBA career, he is also urging his supporters to do the same — to just keep on believing.

“Siyempre una, nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord kasi nga nakatungtong ako dito at nag-champion. Tapos sa mga supporters ko talaga, mula nung dumadayo pa lang ako, alam nila yung journey ko st kung pano ko pinaghirapan na makapunta dito,” said Jimenez.

“Sa mga sumusuporta sa ’kin at nangangarap din na makapunta ng PBA, tiwala lang. Pagbutihin niyo lang at pag-pray niyo lang. Kung ako nagawa ko, hindi malabong mangyari sa inyo basta’t may sacrifice, mabuting attitude, at disiplina.”