Romwel Anzures

Barangay Ginebra legend Jayjay Helterbrand. Photo from Facebook/PBA MotoClub.

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758117074221IMG_8340.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Barangay Ginebra legend Jayjay Helterbrand. Photo from Facebook/PBA MotoClub."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Barangay Ginebra legend Jayjay Helterbrand. Photo from Facebook/PBA MotoClub.</span></span></span>MANILA — Since its inception five decades ago, the PBA has cemented its place among the top destinations across Asia for young Pinoy stars, and Jayjay Helterbrand knows a thing or two about this.</div><p>A six-time Champion, one-time league MVP, and two-time Best Player of the Conference awardee, Helterbrand spent his 17-year basketball career in the PBA, all of which was with Barangay Ginebra.</p><p>“Congratulations to the PBA on its 50th anniversary,” he told ABS-CBN News. “Hopefully umabot ng 100 years and more.”</p><p>”And for me, I will never forget the PBA. I owe my whole life to the PBA and the Ginebra organization. The PBA provided me a platform para maipakita ko yung God-given talent na meron ako, and to experience becoming a professional basketball player in such a competitive league,” he added.</p><p>However, for the league to maintain and extend itself further, Helterbrand says that the PBA must find a solution to one trend that has been happening since the start of the decade -- collegiate stars going overseas.</p><p>“I think we have to find a way to be able to keep our superstars here sa Pilipinas,” he emphasized.</p><p>Since 2020, the likes of Kai Sotto, Kevin Quiambao, Thirdy Ravena, and Rhenz Abando have all opted to skip the PBA Draft, while former PBA stars like Kiefer Ravena, Matthew Wright, and Arvin Tolentino, all left their respective teams to pursue overseas opportunities.</p><p>For Helterbrand, while it has a huge impact on the development of Philippine basketball in general, this trend does not help on the PBA’s side of things.</p><p>“A lot of our superstars go to the Japanese and Korean leagues, and that hurts the PBA,” he emphasized. “We need to find ways to keep them here.”</p><p>Better opportunities in terms of bigger salaries have always been a factor in why the said names opted to take their talents to other countries, while balanced competition, or the PBA’s lack thereof,  is also seen as one of the various reasons why this has happened.</p><p>But whatever the possible solution may be, what Helterbrand wants is for the PBA to solve this as soon as it can as he wants it to live longer even beyond his lifetime.</p><p>“Again, trabaho nila commissioner yan, to make that happen,” he said. “If you address two things, that will be the right path in allowing the PBA to reach another 50 years.”</p><p>“Hoping for more success for the PBA, and hopefully, another 50 years,” Helterbrand added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABhQbo4FDGuJYIxl"></script>

<p>#PBA50 | “A lot of our superstars go to the Japanese and Korean leagues, and that hurts the PBA,” said Helterbrand. “We need to find ways to keep them here.”</p>

#PBA50 | “A lot of our superstars go to the Japanese and Korean leagues, and that hurts the PBA,” said Helterbrand. “We need to find ways to keep them here.”

PBA needs to find ways to keep superstars in PH, says Jayjay Helterbrand

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PBA needs to find ways to keep superstars in PH, says Jayjay Helterbrand

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 19, 2025 09:30 AM PHT

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Basketball

PBA

ABSSports

PBA Season 50

PBA 50

Jayjay Helterbrand

Barangay Ginebra

PBA MotoClub

Japan B.League

Korean Basketball League

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