16 April 2023, Seoul-Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega was honored to confer the Rookie of the Year Award to Filipino import RJ Abarrientos at the Korean Basketball League 2022-23 Season. Abarrientos played for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus averaging 13.4 points, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals for the season, leading his team to finish with a 34-20 record, good for fourth in the regular season. The KBL gives the award to best performing rookie players. Both Korean and foreign players are eligible to receive the award.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul takes pride in the excellent skills and sportsmanship of Filipino athletes currently playing in the KBL. Other outstanding Filipino rookies drafted for the prestigious KBL and making their mark this season are Rhenz Abando for Anyang KGC, Justin Gutang for Changwon LG, Ethan Alvano for Wonju DB, Christian David for Seoul Samsung, and SJ Belangel for Daegu KOGAS. Stay tuned for more updates on Filipino athletes in Korea by following the Philippine Embassy official pages. END

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