A CRY FOR HELP
In his 12 years as a pro, Poy Erram has built an impressive basketball résumé. He is a three-time champion, a two-time All-Star, and was once the Philippine Basketball Association’s finest specialist on defense.
That body of work tends to fade into the background whenever his temper gets the best of him—outbursts that, lately, have become more frequent.
On Wednesday night, before 17,654 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum, he chose to remind people of his true capabilities, putting together a gutsy performance that showcased his defensive chops, hustle, and ability to impact the game beyond the stat sheet—one that willed TNT past Barangay Ginebra for a critical 87-83 Game 6 victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
“I’m having a hard time. I know everyone has been thinking I’m such a distraction,” he told the Inquirer on the heels of a gallant 14-point, six-rebound performance.
“I’m unstable,” he went on, his voice crackling. “[But] I didn’t want to lose. I wanted to prove to myself and my family that I can still do this. That I can play.”
Last Sunday, Erram was in the middle of another kind of storm. Frustrated over a mid-game gaffe, he was seen engaging his coach Chot Reyes in a heated shouting match—a moment that made the Tropang Giga, a favorite to repeat over the Gin Kings and capture a second-straight crown this season, look like it was breaking at the seams at the most critical time.
In the semifinals against Rain or Shine, the 6-foot-8 big man from Cagayan de Oro had a dust-up with close pal and teammate Glenn Khobuntin. Long before that, he figured in countless flare ups with referees and fans, which somehow became his identity as a player.
It was only that Wednesday night when Erram let folks into what has been bothering him.
Pulling the plug
In the middle of the Final Four race with the Elastopainters, Erram’s father passed. And while the loss was already crushing, the fiery center said the decision to take his old man off life support has been gutting him since.
“Since my Papa died, I’ve been struggling. I never really addressed it, and it’s taken a toll on me,” he said.
Erram revealed that he began seeking professional help, a route he has taken when he was battling through mental woes in the 2020 Philippine Cup bubble and his first stint with the telco club.
“I really need help, especially moving forward in my career, if I still hope to continue playing. This is for my enlightenment and my family as well,” he said.
Erram’s struggles bring to mind a long history of PBA players who wore their emotions as openly as they played. The league, through its near-five decades of existence, has built its popularity with such characters, yet there are no dedicated sports psychologists embedded within teams, leaving players to seek help on their own.
A few have also spoken about the matter and tried to rid the topic of stigma. Back in 2019, former Alaska Aces skipper Tony dela Cruz spoke about it lengthily in an Inquirer special report.
It was only recently that Filipino athletes embraced mental wellness, with the likes of Olympic medalists Hidilyn Diaz and Carlos Yulo revealing that they were with specialized coaches in their respective bids for sporting glory.
At this point of his career, Erram is carrying more than just grief, he also shoulders the burden of keeping together TNT’s frontcourt with another big man, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, still working his way back to peak form, and former Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams no longer the dominant force he was once.
And when TNT and Ginebra duke it out for all the marbles, Erram will be tasked to deliver one more time. But this challenge also affords him a chance to write his story—the story of a winner.
Asked about his date with destiny, Erram responded in perhaps the best way.
“I’m ready.”
