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IF there is one thing Joshua Munzon has developed in his two years in the 3×3 game, it is definitely being a smarter player.
And that cerebral focus is what the prospective is not. The first pick in the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft he’s looking to take as he embarks on a new chapter in his basketball career.
“I think it put me more in a tactical mindset of how to win ball games,” he said. SPIN Sidelines.
“The pace of the 3×3 game is fast and if you’re not disciplined and focused on what you’re trying to do, the game can get away from you like that. Ultimately, it helped me slow down the game and think tactically about the game more. “.
Munzon, the country’s top-ranked 3×3 player, has shown time and again his caliber in the midfield, but he never stopped being calculating in his attack from the local leagues that he dominated under the 3×3 banner of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas a the international stage on the Fiba 3×3 World Tour.
“If you’re three points down, (you’re thinking) how can we tie him up before the half. Or if we’re up, how do we keep going? So we’re being smarter in how we attack,” he said.
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It’s a stark contrast to the roles he played in his last 5v5 stints.
Munzon was asked to be a point guard when he made the roster at Cal State Los Angeles, a major plug in his time in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) for both the Saigon Heat and the Westports Malaysia Dragons, and a scorer. of everything when he played for AMA Online Education in the PBA D-League.
But in 3×3, the 26-year-old had to outsmart his basketball skills as well.
“I think that was the most important thing: thinking about the game more than going out and playing, developing that tactical mentality of winning ball games,” he said.
It also helped that in his first season at 3×3, he had someone like Dylan Ababou who had a huge influence on him on and off the court.
“It’s crazy what an impact Dylan has had on me. He was definitely someone who listened to me a lot and promoted nothing but positive vibes,” Munzon said of the seven-year PBA veteran.
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6-foot-4 Munzon noted that his constant interactions with former UAAP MVP from the University of Santo Tomas have helped him tremendously in his adjustment here, especially as he seeks to make a name for himself in the PBA.
“If someone knows Dylan, he’s the best person you’ll ever meet in your life. I definitely learned a lot from him and I only control certain things and I don’t worry about the things that you can’t control and just be a professional. I think Dylan is someone. from whom everyone could learn something, “he said.
It is a safe bet that Munzon will carry those learnings when he reaches the professional league, even more so if Terrafirma selects him among the best in the class.
Check out the full episode of SPIN Sidelines with Munzon below!
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