Who Won the 2013 PBA Rookie of the Year Award and Where Are They Now?

I still remember that electric atmosphere at the Smart Araneta Coliseum back in 2013, the air thick with anticipation and the distinct scent of sweat and polished court floors. I was sitting courtside, notebook in hand, watching these young bucks fresh from college trying to prove they belonged in the big leagues. The question on everyone's lips that season was simple yet loaded: Who would win the 2013 PBA Rookie of the Year award? That trophy wasn't just about raw talent—it was about who could handle the pressure, who could transition from campus hero to professional contender. The rookie class that year was particularly interesting, with names like Justin Melton, Ian Sangalang, and RR Garcia making waves, but one player stood out from the pack in a way that felt almost inevitable.

The award ultimately went to Greg Slaughter, that mountain of a man from Ginebra who stood at 7 feet tall—yes, seven freaking feet—and moved with a grace that seemed to defy physics. I recall watching him during his rookie season, thinking how he wasn't just tall; he understood spacing, had soft hands around the rim, and possessed this quiet confidence that made veterans respect him immediately. He averaged 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds that first year, numbers that made the Rookie of the Year decision almost unanimous. What struck me most wasn't his stats though—it was how he carried himself, like he knew this was exactly where he was meant to be.

Fast forward to today, and Slaughter's journey has taken some interesting turns that nobody could've predicted back in 2013. After establishing himself as one of the PBA's premier centers for several seasons, he made the surprising decision to play in Japan's B.League in 2021. I've got to be honest—when I first heard the news, I thought it was a temporary move, maybe a one-season adventure before returning to cement his legacy in the PBA. But here we are years later, and he's still overseas, having played for teams like the Hiroshima Dragonflies. It makes you wonder about the paths athletes take and how different reality can be from our expectations.

This whole situation reminds me of something legendary coach Tim Cone once said that perfectly captures the professional athlete's mindset: "Hindi naman tayo sasali sa PBA kung ayaw nating manalo. We hope to maximize whatever we have and try our best to make the playoffs." That quote has stuck with me through the years because it's so fundamentally true—these players aren't just there to collect paychecks; they're competitors at their core. Slaughter embodied that mentality, whether he was dominating in the PBA or testing himself in international leagues. The drive to win, to maximize one's potential—that doesn't disappear just because you change uniforms.

What's fascinating to me about Slaughter's overseas stint is how it reflects a growing trend among Filipino players. When I started covering the PBA back in the early 2000s, seeing local stars leave for other leagues was relatively rare. Now? It's becoming almost commonplace, and I've got mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I love seeing our homegrown talent proving they can compete on international stages. On the other, as a longtime PBA fan, I can't help but miss watching these players week in and week out in our local arenas. Slaughter's absence left a void in the PBA's center position that took a while to fill.

I recently caught some highlights of Slaughter playing in Japan, and honestly, he looks like he's adapted well to their style of play. The game seems faster there, more perimeter-oriented, which forced him to develop aspects of his game beyond traditional post moves. He's averaging around 9.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in his most recent B.League season—not quite his PBA numbers, but respectable considering the adjustment to a different basketball culture. It's this evolution that I find most compelling about his journey post-Rookie of the Year. Players either adapt or they fade away, and Slaughter clearly chose adaptation.

Thinking back to that 2013 rookie class, it's remarkable how careers can diverge. Some of his fellow rookies have become PBA mainstays, others have bounced around teams, and a few have left professional basketball altogether. Slaughter's path—from top college prospect to PBA Rookie of the Year to international player—isn't the most common trajectory, but it's becoming less unusual. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over two decades, I've come to appreciate these unconventional journeys. They add layers to the narrative of our basketball landscape, showing that success isn't always linear or predictable.

The question of whether Slaughter will return to the PBA occasionally pops up in conversations among us basketball writers. My gut feeling? He might, but probably not as the same player who left. International experience changes athletes—it exposes them to different coaching philosophies, playing styles, and basketball cultures. If he does return, I suspect he'd bring back a more versatile game, perhaps even extending his range beyond the three-point line, which he's shown glimpses of in Japan. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but his story continues to evolve, which is what makes following sports so compelling year after year.

Reflecting on that 2013 season and Slaughter's subsequent journey, I'm reminded that awards like Rookie of the Year are just the beginning of the story, not the culmination. They're launching pads that send players on trajectories we can't always anticipate. Slaughter's path from promising rookie to international professional may not have been what most predicted when he accepted that trophy eight years ago, but it's been fascinating to watch unfold. And in a way, his journey embodies that competitive spirit Tim Cone described—the desire to win, to maximize one's potential, whether that happens in the PBA or on courts halfway across the world.