Watch what will happen, Abueva says after trade
Calvin Abueva hosted a short Facebook Live video on Tuesday, shortly after the deal that sealed his move from Titan Ultra to Converge became official.
Abueva had little to say, aside from instructing his wife to buy rice for dinner and uttering a few words in his native Kapampangan dialect.
One thing was clear: Abueva appeared elated before offering viewers some parting words.
“Tingnan niyo ang mangyayari. Gawin mong proud ang sarili mo (Watch what will happen. Make yourself proud),” Abueva said. “See you on the court.”
An unseen companion was overheard saying “Purple Nation,” a nod to the Converge fan base, which appears to have gained a boost with the arrival of the man who turns 38 on Wednesday.
The PBA approved the deal, with Titan Ultra receiving Rey Suerte, King Caralipio and rookie Mark Omega.
Destined
Converge landed Abueva without having to unload its top talent, instead adding a veteran presence to support young stars Juan Gomez de Liaño, Justine Baltazar, Justin Arana, Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston.
“Calvin is Calvin,” team governor Archen Cayabyab told the Inquirer. “He will bring energy and hustle to the team, [and also] his winning mentality.”
Abueva’s landing spot seemed destined, as it reunited “The Beast” with Converge coach Delta Pineda, the Pampanga vice governor regarded as one of the most influential figures in his career.
The trade came after Abueva expressed his desire to be moved, despite coming off a PBA Philippine Cup stint in which he emerged as the league’s top scorer at 23.6 points per game and finished third in the Best Player of the Conference race behind eventual winner June Mar Fajardo and Gomez de Liaño.
Sources said Titan was willing to keep Abueva despite entertaining offers, given his status as the cornerstone of the young franchise. Still, the deal came as a surprise to insiders—perhaps even to Abueva himself.
Converge is hoping Abueva can provide a spark for a team coming off a heartbreaking quarterfinal exit against Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Cup, where it squandered leads in regulation and overtime of the deciding game.
