It is not uncommon to see TNT Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson emotional on the court and in the sidelines. He would be talking to himself, shouting, cursing, and showing frustration.
That was true even in TNT’s 94-87 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors on Wednesday, where RHJ finished with 23 points on top of 14 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks. But he did not shoot particularly well from the field and was missing free throws—causing him to be visibly upset more than a few times.
Chot Reyes and the rest of the Tropang Giga are not the least surprised.
“You will see during games, he mutters at himself, minumura niya sarili niya, he curses himself. He doesn’t curse out his teammates or anyone. It’s all directed towards him. We’ve learned to live with that and to accept that,” said Reyes, who has had his fair share of intense discussions with Hollis-Jefferson on the TNT bench.
Chot Reyes Wants That Fire from His Tropa
In a roundabout way, Reyes is empowering his players by letting them show emotions—frustration included. In fact, the multi-titled coach doesn’t mind his players speaking their mind even if it could sometimes lead to shouting matches between player and coach.
There’s just one caveat: If you dare to speak your truth, then make sure you back it up on the court.
“Like I always tell my players, I don’t care if we have a shouting match on the sideline as long as when you come in, you’re giving your best, basta nagpapakamatay ka sa loob, maski magsigawan tayo sa bench okay lang sa ‘kin ‘yun,” Reyes told reporters after the game against NLEX. “I have no problems with that. As against na tahimik ka, pagpasok mo sa loob lalamya-lamya ka. That’s the dynamic between not only me and Rondae but the entire team. We all know that…”
To an extent, it is possible Reyes’s approach is an acknowledgement of the emotional nature of basketball and that outbursts are bound to happen once in a while. And it is apparently proving to be a good move. So far, it is hard to argue with the early returns of this fiery dynamic—the PBA Governors’ Cup title and prime position in the ongoing midseason tourney.
And if those outbursts will lead to more championships, then Chot Reyes will probably stay as patient as he can.
