Gabby Espinas

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Gabby Espinas
Gabby Espinas 2024.jpg
Espinas (middle) with the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo in 2024
No. 27–Caloocan Supremos
Position Power forward / head coach
League MPBL / PSL
Personal information
Born (1982-01-03) January 3, 1982 (age 43)
Olongapo, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
College PCU
PBA draft 2006: 1st round, 5th overall
Drafted by San Miguel Beermen
Playing career2006–present
Career history
As a player:
2006–2007 San Miguel Beermen
2007–2008 Air21 Express
2008–2009 Barako Bull Energy Boosters
2009–2010 Sta. Lucia Realtors
2010–2012 Meralco Bolts
2012–2015 Alaska Aces
2015 GlobalPort Batang Pier
2015–2018San Miguel Beermen
2018–2019NorthPort Batang Pier
2019Meralco Bolts
2019–2020 Manila Stars
2021JPS Zamboanga City
2021 Sarangani Marlins
2022Ormoc – OCCCI Sheer Masters
2022Sarangani Marlins
2022–present Caloocan Batang Kankaloo / Supremos
As a coach:
2024–present Caloocan Supremos
Career highlights

Gabriel Espinas (born January 3, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player and head coach for the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo franchise of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and Pilipinas Super League (PSL). A 6'4" forward, he was drafted fifth overall by the San Miguel Beermen in the 2006 PBA draft. He made a name in the amateur ranks as the first-ever Rookie of the Year-Most Valuable Player of the NCAA while playing for the PCU Dolphins.

Contents

Amateur career

Espinas began to play for PCU in the NCAA in the 2004 season. With Espinas, Robert Sanz, Jayson Castro, and Ian Garrido playing together with head coach Loreto Tolentino, the Dolphins made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2002.

After defeating the defending champion Letran Knights, PCU defeated the UPHSD Altas in the finals with Espinas scoring double-double numbers in the Final Four and the championship series.

He became the first NCAA player to be named as the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player in the same season. San Beda's Sam Ekwe followed suit in the 2006 season.

From 2005–06, he led the Dolphins to the finals only to lose to Letran and San Beda, respectively. However, he was still named to the Mythical Five in both seasons.

He debuted in the Philippine Basketball League in 2005 for the Harbour Centre Portmasters playing alongside Mark Cardona, LA Tenorio, Magnum Membrere, and PCU teammates Castro and Sanz.

After a stint with Harbour, he played his final two conferences with the Hapee-PCU squad, leading them to the semifinals in the Heroes Cup.

Professional career

Espinas with the San Miguel Beermen in 2016 PBA - Rain or Shine vs San Miguel - Gabby Espinas-San Miguel - 2016-0107 (24219499956).jpg
Espinas with the San Miguel Beermen in 2016

In the 2006 PBA Draft, Espinas was drafted fifth overall by the San Miguel Beermen. After his time with PCU, he was quickly signed by San Miguel to a rookie contract. He made his PBA debut in a game against Red Bull and played an impressive performance despite the loss.

He then played the reserve role for the Beermen after the team acquired the services of Rommel Adducul and Lordy Tugade plus the return from injury of Danny Ildefonso.

The San Miguel Beermen traded Espinas for the Air21 Express' first round pick in the 2008 PBA draft. [1]

He was then traded by the Air21 Express to the Red Bull Barako for a first round pick in the 2009 PBA Draft. The pick was then used to draft Japeth Aguilar as the first overall in 2009 by the Whoopers. [2]

In 2009, he was again traded to the Sta. Lucia Realtors, his fourth team, for Sta. Lucia's 2009 first round pick.

In 2012, he was traded to the Alaska Aces in exchange for Jay-R Reyes. [3]

On March 14, 2015, he was traded to GlobalPort Batang Pier in exchange for Nonoy Baclao and a 2017 first round draft pick. [4]

On April 6, 2015, Espinas was traded back to the Beermen as part of a 4-team, 6-player trade. [5]

PBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

Correct as of October 4, 2016 [6]

Season-by-season averages

YearTeamGPMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2006–07 San Miguel 479.9.519.000.5822.9.4.2.33.6
2007–08 Magnolia / Air21 209.2.412.143.6431.7.3.2.22.6
2008–09 Red Bull / Barako Bull 3327.9.482.212.6348.41.2.4.512.4
2009–10 Sta. Lucia 3720.3.516.000.6165.3.7.2.47.2
2010–11 Meralco 3231.1.487.000.6918.61.2.4.712.1
2011–12 Meralco3427.8.465.500.6436.8.9.4.611.2
2012–13 Alaska 5417.6.515.000.6734.0.6.1.37.5
2013–14 Alaska4324.5.538.000.6286.71.1.4.210.2
2014–15 Alaska / GlobalPort / San Miguel3211.8.573.000.6202.3.4.2.13.7
2015–16 San Miguel4714.3.540.500.6893.4.5.2.25.4
Career37919.3.504.220.6465.0.7.3.37.6

Personal life

Espinas was born to an African-American father, who was once stationed in Subic but died when Gabby was only five years old, and to a Filipina mother.

References

  1. ↑ Air21 acquires Espinas; Carey Cardona fined, suspended Archived January 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Philippine Daily Inquirer
  2. ↑ "PBA-Online". PBA-Online. Archived from the original on February 16, 2002.
  3. ↑ Belen, Reynaldo. "Alaska, Meralco swap big men Jay-R Reyes, Gabby Espinas". www.interaksyon.com. InterAksyon.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  4. ↑ Dy, Richard. "Alaska trades Gabby Espinas for Globalport big man Noy Baclao". www.spin.ph. spin.ph. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  5. ↑ Ganglani, Naveen (April 6, 2015). "Ginebra, San Miguel, GlobalPort, Barako Bull complete 4-team trade". www.rappler.ph. rappler.ph. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ Player [ usurped ] at PBA-Online!
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