William Navarro felt surprised with the call-up from Gilas program director Tab Baldwin to join the national team in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers’ Manama Bubble.
“Hindi ko inexpect talaga na tatawagan ako, pero ayun. Prepared naman ako nung lockdown I was practicing naman and workout,” shared the 6-foot-6 utility forward during an episode of The Prospects Pod, presented by SMART Sports.
“Nagulat din ako na tinawagan ako.”
Though unexpected, Navarro is well-known as the glue that kept the Ateneo machine going in the UAAP.
During his three-year stay in Katipunan, Navarro — the only Filipino to be part of the Panathinaikos’ juniors team — did it all. He scored when needed, defended every position, created from the post, and even protected the rim.
He is simply the epitome of a utility player.
It was a no-brainer, then, for him to be part of Gilas’ first game against Thailand last November 27.
“Sa akin naman dream come true siya kasi ever since bata ako, ‘yun ‘yung pinaka-ultimate pangarap ko eh. Nakamit ko siya,” he recalled.
Navarro could not get going during that game, though.
Foul trouble plagued him early, while he finished with just four points and a rebound. He was also a flat-zero in the plus-minus category in the 93-61 rout.
Deep down, the 23-year-old knew that he was in danger of being cut for the second game. And it did happen, as he and Mike Nieto saw themselves replaced by Calvin Oftana and Jaydee Tungcab for the closeout game.
And he was hard on himself afterward.
“I felt sad na na-cut ako pero still thankful pa rin for the opportunity to play at least one game, ‘di ba? Kasi dream come true nga ‘yun, pero confident ako eh. I mean in my opinion, nafi-feel ko na confident na I would play sa second game. Pero I mean, feel ko rin na medyo underrated ako eh,” admitted Navarro.
“So parang ‘pag na-cut akom hindi ako masyadong mapag-uusapan ng tao na, ‘Okay lang ‘yan, si William lang ‘yan’. ‘Yun ‘yung sad part doon.”
Still, Navarro is using that feeling as motivation as he works his way back to the February window.
“Just the start pa lang siya.”
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