MANILA, Philippines – NBA dream? Yes. Execution? Not quite.
Sacramento Kings player development coach Jimmy Alapag has opened up about why rising Filipino star Kevin Quiambao fell short of securing a slot in the NBA Summer League — and he says it didn’t have to end that way.
In a candid interview on Power & Play with Noli Eala, Alapag revealed that while the 24-year-old forward made a bold move by flying to the US in July to chase an NBA opportunity, the planning and outreach behind the scenes were simply not enough.
“This is not blaming Kevin at all,” Alapag stressed. “But whoever is helping him should have planned better… You have to go through front offices, coaches, get seen early. By the time he came to Sacramento, our roster was already finalized.”
Timing Was Off, and the Door Was Closed
Quiambao — fresh off an MVP campaign at La Salle and a stint with the Goyang Sono Skygunners in South Korea — arrived in Sacramento on July 3, just a week before the Summer League kicked off in Las Vegas. But by then, the Kings’ Summer League roster was already locked.
“When he reached out and said, ‘Hey, I’m here, I want to work out,’ the team was already formed,” said Alapag, who is part of the Kings’ Summer League coaching staff. “And I don’t get to pick the lineup.”
Lost in Translation
Alapag shared that Quiambao had reached out as early as January, saying he had NBA workouts lined up for the summer. The conversation was brief, and Alapag assumed the young star’s team had already coordinated with NBA front offices.
By late June, just days before the NBA Draft, Quiambao made contact again. But it was too little, too late.
“When Kevin finally reached out again, it was end of June or early July. That’s already too late,” Alapag said. “The staff had made its decisions. I felt bad. I wanted to help.”
Still a Glimmer of Hope
Though he didn’t make the Kings roster, Quiambao reportedly worked out with five other NBA teams, according to Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone. None of those opportunities materialized into a Summer League spot.
The 6-foot-7 forward has since returned to the Philippines to rejoin the national team for the FIBA Asia Cup, but Alapag believes the journey is far from over.
“He’s young,” said Alapag. “I commend him for going after these chances — Summer League, G League, maybe even the NBA one day. But you’ve got to be prepared. And you’ve got to be seen early. When the opportunity comes, you have to be the best version of yourself.”
