RODRIGUEZ

At 31, Dennis Rodriguez is pursuing a dream – his and also his father’s.

The dream is for him to play in the PBA. To realize this, he has put his name in the draft and has been included as one of 66 aspirants currently going through the PBA Rookie Camp, a week long activity leading up to the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig City.

His dream is no different from winning the lotto – almost impossible, practically improbable.

For one, there’s his age, and for another, his height. At 31 and 5-foot-7, he’s lucky to be included as an aspirant.

And maybe, for that alone, he already has won the jackpot.

But there’s no stopping Rodriguez whose basketball credentials include a college stint at Lyceum and playing for Hapee in the PBL in 2002.

His famous teammates include Coca-Cola Tigers Gary David and Chico Llanete at Lyceum and PBA players Enrico Villanueva, Larry Fonacier, Rich Alvarez and Wesley Gonzalez at Hapee.

These popular players have encouraged him to give it a try, actually another try since he had once put his name in the draft, but he developed cold feet and did not bother to show up during the 2005 draft.

Having mustered the courage, he now will know whether he really has what it takes to be a professional player as some of his friends have been telling him.

“It is a dream for every player to make it to the PBA, so why don’t I try it for the second time,” said Rodriguez, a business administration, major in management at Lyceum. “This is what I really want, to play basketball. This is my passion.”

Making it to the PBA, Rodriguez said, is actually not just a personal goal. His late father also wanted him to play in the PBA.

He said that by trying out, “I know my Dad is happy for me.”

“It’s my Dad’s desire for me to make it to the PBA. Even though he’s not here anymore, I know he’s proud of me because I’m trying my best to prove that I can play in the PBA,” he said.