Mikey Williams, the fourth overall pick of the PBA Season 46 Rookie Draft, arrived in the Philippines from the U.S. early Tuesday morning, TNT team manager Gabby Cui told ESPN5.
The multi-faceted point guard will have to undergo 10-day quarantine based on Philippine government protocols and will get an RT-PCR test on the seventh day of isolation. He is already fully vaccinated, according to agent Marvin Espiritu.
Williams inked a two-year deal with the Tropang Giga in late April and is seen as a potential replacement for Bobby Ray Parks Jr. who earlier said that he was skipping the upcoming season due to "personal matters."
Even before going through the draft process, however, the 29-year-old had been staying in Los Angeles, making today the closest he has ever been to his new team.
Since PBA Season 46 will tip off on Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig and while it's probable that TNT's curtain-raiser will be scheduled over the weekend, it's likely that Williams will still be unavailable to play.
Nonetheless, the Tropang Giga are more than happy that their top pick is, at long last, here in Manila.
"It's great that Mikey is here. We are looking forward to integrating him with the team and system when he finishes his quarantine," stated Cui in an online message.
Williams was one of the highly touted prospects in the previous draft, drawing comparisons to Ginebra playmaker Stanley Pringle.
The 6-foot-2 combo guard, whose mother is Filipina, played in the NBA G League, most recently with the Canton Charge in the 2017-18 season. He then moved on to the ASEAN Basketball League as Asian Heritage Import, averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.9 boards, and 1.0 steals for the Saigon Heat.
Prior to joining the PBA Draft, he obtained his Philippine passport and played for MPBL's Gen San Warriors, where he normed 15.9 markers, 6.6 dimes, and 5.1 boards in the Lakan Cup.
"The Philippines' brand of basketball is unmatched in my opinion. The way basketball brings the culture together," expressed Williams in a previous interview with ESPN5's Richard Dy.
"I can play wherever they need me to be, point guard, shooting guard, small forward, but naturally, I'm a point guard and shooting guard," he added.