Young Negrense cager selected for NBA, FIBA's BWB Camp
Talisay City born Paul Barcelona is among the 60 elite boys and girls below 17 years old from the Asia Pacific Region selected to take part in the 15th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp slated from June 19 to 22 in Singapore.
Fresh off a silver medal finish in secondary basketball in the 2025, Barcelona will step into another momentous milestone in his young career.
'Playing for Palarong Pambansa 2025 representing Region 6 was a very significant experience for me. And now, to be able to be chosen to represent once more in a very prestigious sporting event is another significant milestone and I'm truly honored and grateful for this big opportunity,' Barcelona told GMA Regional TV News.
'This will surely enhance and develop my skills in the game and will create a wider chance for me to grow my love for basketball,' he added.
The BWB camp is an NBA and FIBA's global basketball development and community outreach program where campers will take part in life-skills, leadership development and social responsibility programming.
Campers will have an opportunity to learn directly from current and former FIBA, NBA, and WNBA players and coaches.
Among them are 2024 NBA champion Derrick White of the Boston Celtics and 2024 NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.
'I hope that I can make my school Bacolod Taytung High School, my hometown Negros Occidental, and my country Philippines proud,' he remarked.
In 2018, Zamboangueño Forthsky Padrigao won the MVP honors during the 10th edition of the camp.
Barcelona is no stranger to international camps. Back in 2022, he alongside three other Filipinos, were selected to take part in the Jr. NBA Asia in Tokyo, Japan.
The 6-foot-1 athlete was exposed to basketball at a young age through the influence of his father, Pete.
'It has been my first toy as a baby and a toddler, and growing up I saw my father enjoying watching basketball on television and eventually, he started to bring me to basketball courts for training with him and then it continued as I started with kinder school where I began basketball clinics at age 5,' Barcelona said.
Barcelona shared that he patterned his game after that of his idol, Escalante native and basketball star James Yap.
'I really like the way he moves on the court. He makes the games look easier because his moves are simple yet effective,' he noted about the former national team player.
On the other hand, being surrounded by household name coaches in Bacolod City in Ryan Hugnatan, Nico Lopingco, and Atoy Callora kept him grounded and helped him grow as a player on and off the court.
'My biggest dream in life is to achieve a combination of being a successful basketball player and at the same time achieve academic success,' Barcelona said.
'My love and passion for basketball has provided a huge positive impact on my personal development, and hopefully with God's help, I will be able to balance both of my dreams to make it a reality,' he added.
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