Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao was glad that his former players Nelson Asaytono and Yoyoy Villamin finally got the recognition he believed they should have long received from the PBA.

Asaytono and Villamin both played under Guiao back in the early 90s when the fiery mentor was still the head coach of Swift. They even bagged two PBA titles together in the 1992 Third Conference and 1993 Commissioner's Cup with both Asaytono and Villamin being a vital cog in both title runs.

“Siyempre natuwa ako. Masaya ako for Nelson also. I've been Nelson's coach for a couple of years. We won a championship with him. Naging malaking parte siya ng mga teams na na-coach ko,” Guiao said of Asaytono.

“Isang player din na natutuwa ako na nandyan na, na naging player ko rin, si Yoyoy Villamin,” he added.

Having seen and handled both players in the past, Guiao knew the caliber of his former players. 

And that was also the reason why the veteran mentor was also one of those who were vocal when Asaytono and Villamin were snubbed when the league added 15 new players to the initial 25 Greatest List back in 2015.

“Naging close kami ni Nelson, family niya. And nalungkot ako nung wala siya [sa 40 best]. Pero kung ano yung lungkot ko nun, yan naman ang tuwa ko ngayon na nandyan siya,” said Guiao.

“Siguro dun is nadelay lang ng konti. Pero hindi bali ma-delay basta nandyan siya. Pareho lang din yun,” he added.

Although he coached Villamin when he was near the twilight years of his career, Guiao said the 6-foot-3 forward remained a force to be reckoned with.

“Toward the end of his career he was playing for me. Even then, yung pa-retire na siya, hirap na hirap pa rin yung mga batang player kay Yoyoy,” he said.

“That was how good he was, how he impacted the PBA and the teams he played for. Aside from Nelson, I'm also happy na nandyan na rin si Yoyoy Villamin,” he added.