Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A rookie coach is taking over the coaching reins for the Star Hotshots in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and he definitely has big shoes to fill.
After four conferences as an understudy, Jason Webb was left with the daunting task of leading the illustrious franchise following Tim Cone’s transfer to the team’s bitter rival, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Read: Cone unveiled as Ginebra coach; Webb takes over Star
Webb replaced the legendary Cone, whose vaunted triangle offense allowed him to rack up 18 titles overall, making him the winningest coach in the first play-for-pay league in Asia.
Despite having a relatively slim Curriculum Vitae in coaching, why did the San Miguel Corp. appointed Webb as head tactician of one of PBA’s most popular teams?
Leadership and communication.
“The two things they (management) mentioned to me are leadership and communication,” said Webb in an interview on CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk on Thursday (July 30).
“I don’t know if that’s true but I’m just happy that the management has that belief in me, that I can do that for them. I hope it does translate to positive results.”
Webb is embracing the challenge, but added it’s not just him steering the team that won a Grand Slam two seasons ago.
“I’m just not the guy that’s steering this team. I’m the head coach but this is a combination of minds that we will put together in the coaching staff,” he said.
But what about the fans’ expectations?
Webb said he is asking for the patience from the team’s legion of supporters as they begin life in the post-Cone era.
“They have to temper their expectations,” he said.
“We’re coming off the greatest coach in the PBA (Cone). We have to get used with the scenario: parang nasaktan ka, parang you lost a girlfriend but we have to move forward as a group and we need the fans’ patience that eventually we’ll get there (championship form).”
