After initially committing to the Mapúa Cardinals seniors squad last year, former Letran Squires standout Daniel Padilla is now set to take his talents to the NU Bulldogs in the UAAP.
It was previously reported that the former Letran guard would suit up for Mapúa’s men’s basketball program. However, a year later, Padilla has shifted to National University.
The Daniel Padilla of Basketball
Despite sharing the same name as his more famous celebrity counterpart, the 21-year-old guard has carved out his own identity through his impressive run in the NCAA juniors division.
In his final season with the Letran Squires, Padilla averaged 16.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. However, the team fell short of a podium finish in NCAA Season 100 after losing to the San Beda Red Cubs.
During his high school career, the 6-foot-1 guard from Duljo, Cebu played alongside Titing Manalili, Jimboy Estrada, and Kevin Santos, all of whom later became key contributors in Letran’s finals run in NCAA Season 101.
Padilla now joins an NU squad that secured the top seed in UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, only to lose twice to eventual champions La Salle Green Archers in the Final Four. With Daniel Padilla’s acquisition, it’s clear the Bulldogs are reloading heavily in a bid to make another strong push for a Final Four appearance. He will be eligible to play for the Jhocson-based squad in Season 90.
