After hype, criticism and a return to the PBA, Japeth Aguilar is dominating

People used to hate Japeth Aguilar.

Perhaps hate is too harsh a word. People really, really disliked Japeth Aguilar. Either that or they were indifferent to him, this despite a flashy game with plenty of highlight reel-worthy dunks and rejections, plus a clutch of headlines that had his name constantly splashed across sports pages and websites.

The odd thing about the hate, or the dislike, or the indifference, is that it's hard to fault the actions of Japeth that resulted in all these negative emotions.

Leaving Ateneo to play in a US NCAA Division I school? Sure, especially since it gives Japeth a shot at being noticed by NBA scouts, which could lead to him getting drafted.

Coming back to the Philippines to play hoops here? Well it's hard for PBA teams to turn down a 6'9" specimen.

Opting to play for the national team first despite getting drafted number one overall? That's exactly what we want from our athletes, putting aside personal glory for the country.

Leaving the PBA to give the NBA another shot? There's nothing wrong with chasing one's dream, and hey, let's give him credit, by being drafted in the NBA D-League, Japeth came much closer than any other player born in the Philippines of making it in the big leagues.

And yet, through it all, Japeth was hated, disliked, shrugged off because of the "P" word, "potential."

He could run the floor like a gazelle, reject shots like Dikembe Mutombo, throw it down with the fiercest of them all, and even take and make three-pointers.

However, for the longest time, he could only do some of those things, and often not in the same game. He'd tease you with the "P" word, leading to Japeth being called another word that begins with "P".

Paasa.

Why play for Western Kentucky when you couldn't dominate the UAAP? Why come back to the PBA only when you flopped abroad? Why play for Gilas when you haven't even shown your skills in the PBA? Why leave the PBA for a shot at the NBA when you can't even dominate the PBA?

Paasa ka naman eh.

However, after a brief stop with the GlobalPort Batang Pier, a strong stint with the national team in the FIBA Asia Championship, and an injury-plagued start as a member of Barangay Ginebra, the p-words, potential, possibility, promise, etcetera, of Japeth Aguilar, have all been replaced with a bunch of new words.

Actuality.

Delivery.

BPC-candidacy.

Through five games, Japeth is norming 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.6 blocks. He's shooting at a 52.54 percent clip from the field, and getting to the line a little over ten times a game, where he hits at two out of three rate.

Running the floor? Throwing it down? Getting to the line? He's doing all of that, and in the same game too.

Being clutch? Hitting the go-ahead score? Preserving wins? He just did all of that, against his former team to boot, the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters.

[Related: Aguilar hits game-winning three to lead Ginebra past Talk 'N Text]

Japeth used to be hated. Or strongly disliked. He used to be picked apart, overanalyzed, or disregarded as pure hype.

However -

If he keeps this level of performance up, if he continues to put up MVP-type numbers, if he leads Ginebra to a title, then perhaps it took a long while, but the Japeth we thought we were getting from the start might be finally here.  - GMA News