Warning: Undefined variable $column_strips in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 78
After nearly giving up on basketball, Herndon is ready to chase his dream
Warning: Undefined variable $column_strips in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 153
Warning: Undefined variable $nocontent in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 236
Warning: Undefined variable $iscovid in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 239
Warning: Undefined variable $FEAT_STORIES in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 685
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, bool given in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 688
Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 730
In just a span of two years, Robbie Herndon went from dousing flames as an aspiring fireman in San Francisco to torching hoops here in the Philippines.
And as the Fil-Am swingman embarks on this new chapter of his life as he enters the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft, he hopes to get the chance to showcase his deadly game in the pros.
“I’ve been waiting for two years for this moment. I’m just glad that I’m eligible because I’ve put a lot of hard work into this. I’m ready to get it going,” said the 24-year-old.
Herndon had shelved his hoop dreams to focus on his education at San Francisco State and almost gave up on basketball a few years back.
“I played two years there and then, I wanted to just focus on my studies,” he said. “That was humbling for me because basketball was the only thing I wanted to do my whole life. In college, I went through a phase when it was hard juggling school and sports. I wanted to get my degree so losing my passion for basketball, I stopped playing after my second year.”
But after getting his criminal justice degree much to the delight of his family, the 6-foot-3 guard felt that it was time for him to take the chance and fly to his father’s homeland.
“I got my degree just to make my dad proud. My dad is a police officer but I really did not want to be a policeman. Maybe, I would have been a fireman and the degree in criminal justice would’ve helped, but I’ve decided to just focus on basketball, get back to the Philippines, and try to make it here,” Herndon said, whose father Robert Sr. traces his roots to Mactan, Cebu.
“The decision to move here was tough but I love the country and I love the basketball even more.”
A virtual unknown when he made the leap of fate, it didn’t take long before Herndon started making his mark, ruling the Philippine leg of the 2016 Red Bull King of the Rock tournament at the expense of two-time PBA MVP Willie Miller, before joining the PBA D-League where he saw action for Victoria Sports-MLQU, Wangs Basketball, and finally, Marinerong Pilipino.
Of the three teams he suited up for, Herndon takes the most pride playing for the Couriers, which he led to contend for a playoff spot this past PBA D-League season.
“It’s good basketball and I learned a lot there. And that’s just the D-League. For sure, the PBA will be better. There’s just a lot of good players here, good teams, great coaches here,” he said.
But Herndon is not just an offensive-minded player as he also takes pride in his playmaking and defensive capabilities, something which he displayed in the two-day 2017 Gatorade PBA Draft Combine and earned him a spot in the pre-draft workout’s Mythical Five.
“The scoring just comes, but I think I really do well when it comes to rebounding because I like to rebound a lot. I also feel like I can get my teammates going, make the right pass, and also defense. It’s not just the scoring that I can do. I like to take it inside and bang bodies. I can shoot but I can also go with the drive and bang down low. I feel like I’m a good two-way player,” he said.
Looking back, Herndon couldn’t help but feel emotional over the path he took to make it this far on his journey.
“I think about the draft every day and I wanted this for a long time. I’m nervous, I’m excited, but most of all, I’m ready,” he said.
Warning: Undefined array key "TESTPAGE" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 254
Warning: Undefined array key "fb" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 280
Warning: Undefined variable $thinq in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 318
Warning: Undefined variable $var_sports_vlurb in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 328
Warning: Undefined variable $mindanaoQuake2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 442
Warning: Undefined variable $showSolicit_batanes in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 459
Warning: Undefined variable $seagames in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 475
Warning: Undefined variable $tokyoOlympics2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 481
Warning: Undefined variable $help_taal in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 490
Warning: Undefined variable $help_ompong in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 525
Warning: Undefined variable $elections_2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 538
Warning: Undefined variable $typhoon_2018_redirect in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 543
Warning: Undefined variable $ncov2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 555
Warning: Undefined variable $tyhoon2020_marthon in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 578
Warning: Undefined variable $dotnet23 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 585
Warning: Undefined variable $suicide in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 595
Warning: Undefined variable $yearend2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 600
Warning: Undefined array key "inqplus_test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 609
Warning: Undefined array key "newreadnext" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 664
Warning: Undefined array key "test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 802
EDITORS' PICK
Warning: Undefined variable $data_for_HompageFG_obj in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 816
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, null given in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 819
Warning: Undefined variable $MR_data_for_obj in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 850
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, null given in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 850
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
Warning: Undefined variable $bc_tag in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 1239