This is an AI-generated summary, which may contain errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
“I was happy to hit the court and be able to hit the ball again,” says Converge guard Mikey Williams as he sees action in the PBA for the first time since 2023.
MANILA, Philippines – Mikey Williams takes his time with the ball in his hands, patiently waiting for a defender to make a mistake before going on the attack.
When he returns to the PBA after a three-year hiatus, Williams takes the same approach without rushing.
The 34-year-old guard saw action in the PBA for the first time since 2023, tallying 3 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in 12 minutes to help Converge to a 102-94 win over the visiting Macau Black Knights in the Commissioner’s Cup opener on Wednesday, March 11.
Although it wasn’t his usual high-scoring performance, Williams believes it won’t be long before fans witness his old and dangerous form again.
“At the right time. We will not rush. This is my first game back. We have a long season. It will come, when it comes, when it comes,” said the former PBA scoring champion.
Williams almost didn’t play Wednesday because he needed to get permission from FIBA, which came just before the start of the final period.
He was instrumental in the fourth quarter turnaround that saw the FiberXers finish the game with an 18-6 run after trailing 84-88.
“They got me in and it felt good to be out there. It took about a minute or two until I realized I was out. I was sweating profusely,” he said.
Having been away from the PBA for years, Williams is happy to be back.
Williams last played in the league in the 2023 Governors Cup finals, where he helped lead TNT to the championship. six game winning streak of Barangay Ginebra.
He had a dispute with Tropang Giga over a contract dispute – the team terminate his contract in 2023 and make him a business Joining instead of Jordan Heading in 2025.
“Just being able to do what I love to do, that’s the hardest thing to figure out. I was happy to touch the field and be able to hit the ball again,” Williams said.
A two-time Finals MVP, Williams hopes to lend his championship experience to a team that has yet to advance to the quarterfinals in franchise history.
“They already have a good base from the guards to the seniors. I try to serve myself where I see fit,” he said.
“I know I have to take a leadership position in this group. The coaches ask me to be more vocal, due to my experience that I have gathered with my previous team and try to bring that and help the young people as much as I can.” – Rappler.com
