Chapter 4
Bill Leon del Prado: On the Shoulders of Giants
Coach Kingcap was waiting at the Kilimanjaro Kafe in pristine Plantation Bay when he agreed to meet us and talk about his budding point guard, Bill Leon del Prado. He was sporting a white shirt that has the Black Mamba with five rings, jeans, and a pair of Kobe V Protro Undefeated sneakers when he greeted us. “Thank you for taking time to visit us in the south,” was his opening remark.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been passionate with basketball. As you can see, Kobe played a major influence in my coaching style. I look up to him not only as a player, but as a person. I make it a point to apply the principles behind his skills and mentality to my team. If only my players could get a fraction of his greatness, I am sure we will make it to the PPL and become eventual champions,”
Bryant - Fisher 2.0
“We already had Leorio Lovino (former U21 player) when we drafted Bill in season 48, so developing him was easy – it was a matter of following the plan. I want Bill to be an all-around guard, so we make it a point to switch his training program from time to time,” Kingcap said while taking a swig of the local beer.
“The immediate challenge is to ensure the development of both guards. Lovino has more advanced skills, but Bill can cope with him. It’s fun to see them play against each other in scrimmage games. They remind me of Kobe and Derek.”
Lovino 2.0
“I am proud for both Bill and Leorio to represent the National Team at an early age. Our job, however, is not yet done so we will continue to develop both players until they are eligible to suit up for the Seniors Team.”
Training Advice
When asked what is his secret to successful training, Kingcap said, “My advice to those wishing to train point guards would be to pay close attention to their skills development. In order to develop these players at a faster rate, you need to have a training regimen that suits the needs of your team and in the long term, the National Team.