JD Cagulangan and Carl Tamayo make their mark in Korea after winning individual awards for the 2024-25 KBL season.
Former UP stalwarts JD Cagulangan and Carl Tamayo both proved their mettle on the big stage after winning their respective individual awards in the 2024-25 Korean Basketball League season.
Cagulangan, the UAAP Season 87 finals MVP, was named Rookie of the Year, averaging 7.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 28 games played with the Suwon KT Sonicboom. With this, the 24-year-old joins RJ Abarrientos as Filipino imports to win the top rookie plum after helping the Sonicboom finish in fourth with a 33-21 record in the elimination rounds.
Tamayo landed a spot in the Mythical Team after putting up 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, emerging as one of the Changwon LG Sakers’ steady contributors as they wrapped up the elimination rounds as the second seed with a 34-20 record.
In his breakout year with Changwon, Tamayo also put up a total of four 30-point games, including a career-high 37 markers against the Seoul Samsung Thunders last January 9. Tamayo’s 37-point tear also stands as the highest scoring mark among Filipino imports in the Korean league.
Coming off an unproductive stint in Japan, Tamayo finally found his groove in Korea, and was joined by teammate Assem Marei and the Seoul SK Knights trio of Kim Sun-hyung, An Young-jun, and Jameel Warney.
Up next for both JD Cagulangan and Carl Tamayo will be the KBL playoffs, with Cagulangan’s Sonicboom set to face a Daegu KOGAS Pegasus squad led by pioneering Filipino import SJ Belangel in the quarterfinals.
Tamayo and Changwon will face the winner of the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters-Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus quarterfinals matchup after gaining a direct entry into the semifinals.
Banner images courtesy of the Changwon LG Sakers and Suwon KT Sonicboom on Instagram.