MANILA – Two months after selecting him during the Philippine Basketball Association Season 46 Rookie Draft, Magnolia Hotshots finally came to terms with three-point gunner Jerrick Ahanmisi on Monday.
Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero confirmed that the former Adamson University Falcons shooting guard agreed to a two-year rookie contract, but terms of the deal were not made public.
“I’m very happy because tapos na ‘yung negotiations, and both of us can focus now on our preparations for this conference,” Victolero said in an online interview.
The 23-year-old Ahanmisi was selected by the Hotshots at no. 10 overall during the rookie draft in March. He is the younger brother of Alaska Aces guard Maverick Ahanmisi.
Apart from Jerrick, the Hotshots gave a one-year contract to rookie guard Loren Brill, who became a free agent after not being signed up by the NorthPort Batang Pier.
“Nag-ensayo ‘yan sa amin. Maganda ‘yung resume niya, plus he’s a big guard,” Victolero said on Brill. “And I think once na makita niya ‘yung larong Pinoy, maka-adjust siya, we’ll try to give him a chance.”
The 6-foot guard Loren, the son of former Northern Cement team captain Louie Brill, will fight for playing time in the loaded Hotshots backcourt that has Paul Lee, Andy Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, and Justin Melton.
Magnolia filled up its 15-man roster after giving one-year contracts each to two more league newcomers, Rodel “RR” de Leon and Alvin Capobres.
The 27-year-old De Leon, a former University of the East Red Warriors forward, was the Hotshots’ third-round selection in the recent draft, while Capobres was Magnolia’s rookie draftee in 2019.
“Si Capobres kasi dinraft namin ‘yan last year, kaso reserve player namin siya,” said Victolero. “Na-expire ‘yung contract niya so ni-renew lang namin.”/PN
