Basketball

RJ Abarrientos Wins KBL Rookie of the Year Award

By Annika Caniza - March 30, 2023
RJ Abarrientos was hailed the Rookie of the Year of the Korean Basketball League for 2022-2023, leading his team to the playoffs.

Filipino basketball player RJ Abarrientos has certainly made an impression in his first year in the Korean Basketball League, taking the league’s Rookie of the Year Award for the 2022-2023 season.

Playing for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, he made a mark for his team averaging 13.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds, recording among of the best numbers in the league, and helping the team reach fourth place to close the regular season.

The former FEU star player has been a standout for the Korean team, as he has helped lead the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus to the playoffs this season as they enter the quarterfinals.

“This brings me a lot of confidence for my career,” RJ Abarrientos expressed in his acceptance speech.

“Thank you for the love. To the fans, they send me a lot of love, on and off the court.”

It truly seems that the former-Gilas Pilipinas player is thriving in the Korean Basketball League, now hailed as the top rookie of the league, becoming just the third Mobis Phoebus player to win the award.

Banner image from RJ Abarrientos on Instagram.


The Philippines at the FIBA World Cup: Recalling Every Qualification

Hoops Paradise: The NBA Podcast All About Filipino Basketball

Built on the Backyard: How Kyle Travis came full circle with the game of basketball