Tab Baldwin sees bright future for Ladi, Escobar
Published Dec 1, 2025 10:04 pm
At A Glance
- Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin has nothing but encouraging words for one-and-done standouts Kymani Ladi and Dom Escobar who are both heading to the pro ranks after a short but sweet stint with the Eagles.
(UAAP Media)
Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin has nothing but encouraging words for one-and-done standouts Kymani Ladi and Dom Escobar who are both heading to the pro ranks after a short but sweet stint with the Eagles.
With the school failing to secure a Final Four berth, Ladi and Esbobar expressed their interest in jumping to the next level, either locally or overseas.
And hearing those plans, Baldwin was willing to testify about the character of the two emerging talents that could be the next big stars in Philippine basketball.
“These two are going to be outstanding pros, not just because they’re good basketball players. These kinds of men you want in your home, huddle, [and] dugout, they are competitors, but they’re quality people,” said Baldwin.
“They enhance the lives of people around them, not just as basketball players, we can all see their talents, and what they offer or contribute to a basketball team,” he added.
Both Ladi, who got a Gilas Pilipinas call-up for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, and Escobar have stressed their intentions of competing on Philippine soil, particularly in the PBA, where the two could be potential top recruits.
Since the arrival of the Ladi and Escobar, Ateneo rose in the standings with a promising 4-0 start before suffering a string of losses that pulled them out of the Final Four picture.
The Blue Eagles closed out their campaign with a 6-8 record for sixth place, a clear improvement from their 4-10, dead-last finish in Season 87 which marked their second straight semifinal miss.
“But I’m here to testify on behalf of the men that these guys enhanced, not just our team, not just the Ateneo community, but my life personally, because of the type of character, personalities they have,” the 67-year-old mentor continued.
“I think it would be remiss of me not to pat them on the back in that way and not to say that if you’re looking for a great pro basketball player,” he added. “Either of these guys are going to enhance your team, and make your job as a coach easier than it was before the day they arrived.”
With the exit of the three one-and-done cagers and Josh Lazaro, Jared Bahay is expected to lead the squad anew with Shawn Tuano, Ian Espinosa, Waki Espina, and Divine Adili.