NCAA Season 97 champion Rhenz Abando departs from the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters (JKJ).
In the 69 regular games, he averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1 block, as he seeks a vacant Asian Quota import spot heading into the Korean Basketball League’s (KBL) 2024-2025 season
Abando officially hung up the red-white-and-black threads on his social media channels where he mentions “signing off,” thanking his ball club, the JKJ fanbase, the OFWs in South Korea, and all individuals involved in his journey.
“To Red Boosters, thank you for giving me the chance to let me showcase my talent and passion for the game. Thank you for trusting me. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for you and not because of the opportunity that you’ve given me, I would not receive this kind of respect that I experience nowadays,” Abando mentions.
He adds: “It was a great two-year ride. It was like a roller-coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs. But nonetheless, I learned a lot.”
Abando left the Philippines in July 2022, foregoing a possible title defense with the Letran Knights—where he claimed Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and Mythical Five honors, to join the Red Boosters.
His captivating high-flying arsenal made him an early two-way threat for JKJ’s opposition. He was named the league’s 2023 Slam Dunk Contest winner and assisted the Red Boosters in their successful 2023 EASL Champions Week and 2022-2023 KBL campaigns in his maiden year overseas.
Unfortunately, the succeeding season didn’t pan out as expected for the 26-year-old. He suffered a spinal injury in December 2023 caused by a mid-air collision that kept him out for more than two months, as he watched JKJ’s eight-seeded finish (18-36) majority from the sidelines.
