Dylan Simon Rosales Ababou (born December 7, 1986) is a Filipino former professional basketball player. He played for seven teams during his career in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was drafted 10th overall in 2011 by the Barako Bull Energy.

Dylan Ababou
Ababou with TNT in 2016
Personal information
Born (1986-12-07) December 7, 1986 (age 37)
Leyte, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolSiena (Quezon City)
CollegeUST
PBA draft2011: 1st round, 10th overall pick
Selected by the Barako Bull Energy
Playing career2011–2018
PositionSmall forward / shooting guard
Career history
2011–2012Barako Bull Energy
2012–2015Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
2015Barako Bull Energy
2015–2016Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters / TNT Tropang Texters / Tropang TNT / TNT KaTropa
2016–2017Blackwater Elite
2017GlobalPort Batang Pier
2017Phoenix Fuel Masters
2017–2018Kia Picanto / Columbian Dyip
Career highlights and awards

Ababou was one of the key players of the UST Growling Tigers who won the UAAP title in 2006. He was also named the 2009 UAAP Season MVP. He also played for the Philippines men's national basketball team.

Early life

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Dylan Ababou was born in Leyte to parents Rachid Ababou and Rosemarie Rosales.[1] He was raised by his grandmother and started playing basketball when he was 8 years old.[1]

College career

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Ababou played for the UST Growling Tigers men's basketball team in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines from 2005 to 2009. He also had interest in playing for either San Beda or UP. In 2006, he was one of the members of the 2006 UST Growling Tigers men's basketball team who won the title against the heavily favored Ateneo Blue Eagles 2–1.[2] He also won the Sixth Man of the Year award for that season. Ababou was crowned the Season MVP on his final year with the Tigers.[3]

Professional career

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Barako Bull Energy (2011–12)

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In the 2011 PBA draft, he was drafted 10th overall by the Barako Bull Energy.[4] In his first game with the Energy he scored 20 points on 8 of 13 FG as he led the Energy to a victory against the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 88–75.[5] Ababou became a key player for the Energy since then and entered the starting lineup. The Energy made the quarterfinals but were knocked off by the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters who had a twice-to-beat advantage.[6]

Barangay Ginebra Kings (2012–15)

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Ababou was traded from the Energy to the Barangay Ginebra Kings alongside Kerby Raymundo from the B-Meg Llamados.[7] The Llamados got JC Intal from the Kings while the Energy got Ronald Tubid and Reil Cervantes from the Kings. He participated in the 2012 Rookies/Sophomores/Juniors vs Veterans Game during the 2012 All-Star Weekend.[8] In that game, him and James Yap of the Veterans team both scored 44 points, breaking Samboy Lim's record of most points scored in an All-Star game.[9] The record would eventually be broken by Terrence Romeo in 2018.[10] He helped Ginebra reach the Finals berth playoff in the 2012 Governors' Cup.[11] At the end of his rookie season, he was named to the All-Rookie Team.[12]

Early into his second season, he tore his ACL.[13] He was out for ten months.[14] He was almost traded for Barako Bull's 2013 1st round pick, but the trade was altered, and Rico Maierhofer and Willy Wilson were sent instead. He returned with 16 points in 17 minutes in a win over the San Mig Coffee Mixers.[15]

Return to Barako (2015)

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In March 2015, Ababou and James Forrester were traded for the 1st round draft pick of the Barako Bull Energy from Barangay Ginebra San Miguel; the first trade made under the leadership of Ginebra's new head coach Frankie Lim.[16] He helped Barako Bull make the 2015 Governors' Cup quarterfinals.[17]

TNT Franchise (2015–16)

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On October 8, 2015, the PBA office approved the trade that sent Ababou to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters for a 2016 second round pick.[18]

Constant trades (2016–17)

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On November 14, 2016, Ababou was traded by the TNT to the Blackwater Elite for Frank Golla.[19] In 2017, he was traded to the GlobalPort Batang Pier for KG Canaleta.[20] He debuted with 17 points in a loss to Ginebra. Later that year, he was involved in a three-team trade that sent him to the Phoenix Fuel Masters.[21] He failed to get a new contract with Phoenix and became a free agent.[22]

Kia Picanto / Columbian Dyip (2017–18)

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Ababou was able to sign a one-conference deal with the Kia Picanto.[22] Before the start of the 2019 season, he was left off the roster.[23]

PBA return bid and retirement (2021)

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Ababou attempted to return to the PBA via the its 3x3 tournament, joining guest team Platinum Karaoke in late 2021. However he got injured ten days prior to the tournament. Riddled by injuries for a significant part of his career, Ababou decided to retire from competitive basketball. [24]

PBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

[25][26]

Season-by-season averages

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Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2011–12 Barako Bull 42 22.6 .406 .299 .816 3.1 .7 .2 .3 8.0
Barangay Ginebra
2012–13 Barangay Ginebra 6 8.5 .267 .222 1.000 1.2 .2 .0 .5 2.7
2013–14 Barangay Ginebra 27 9.3 .317 .235 .727 1.1 .3 .3 .1 2.9
2014–15 Barangay Ginebra 18 10.8 .400 .387 .875 1.1 .2 .2 .0 3.7
Barako Bull
2015–16 TNT 24 8.4 .438 .389 1.000 .5 .4 .2 .3 2.8
2016–17 Blackwater 26 9.8 .347 .386 .750 1.4 .3 .1 .1 2.8
GlobalPort
Phoenix
2017–18 Kia / Columbian 27 9.7 .384 .222 .786 .4 .2 .4 .1 2.8
Career 170 12.7 .384 .309 .819 1.5 .4 .2 .2 4.2

3x3 career

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Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 (2019–2020)

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Ababou then played for the Pasig Grindhouse Kings beginning in the President's Cup.[27] He then joined the Big Boss Cement–Porac MSC Green Gorillas.[28]

PBA 3x3

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In 2021, Ababou joined Platinum Karaoke in the PBA 3x3.[29] Just before the season started, he had an Achilles injury.[30] In 2022, he left for the US to be with his family.[31]

International career

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In 2004, Ababou played for the RP Youth Team, competing in the 2004 Southeast Asia Junior Basketball Championship and in that year's Asia Basketball Confederation (ABC) Junior Men's Championship.[32][33]

Immediately after his collegiate career with the Tigers ended, Ababou was called to join the Smart Gilas Philippines men's national basketball team together with the likes of Chris Tiu, JVee Casio, Mac Baracael and Mark Barroca, players whom he faced during his college career. However, his tenure with Smart Gilas did not go well as he had limited playing time with the team. Also, the arrival of Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz to Smart Gilas did not bode well with Ababou as his playing time grew even more limited.[1]

Personal life

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Ababou is a Christian. He leads Bible studies with other PBA players.[34]

Ababou also owns several business ventures.[34] In 2022, he was an analyst for the broadcast of UAAP Season 84, and also commentated on PBA games.[35][31]

Ababou is married. In 2022, he moved to California to join his family, who had earlier migrated to the United States.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Super Ababou; ready to put heartbreak, disappointments behind". Interaksyon. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  2. ^ Villar, Joey (October 4, 2006). "3 Ps — Pido's surefire formula for success". Philstar.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  3. ^ "Ababou is UAAP MVP". The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  4. ^ "Casio, Lee headline top rookie pick". PBA.ph. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  5. ^ "PRIZED ROOKIE TOW BARAKO BULL PAST GINEBRA". October 14, 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Cadayona (December 15, 2011). "Texters Nakauna Sa Semis". Philstar.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "PBA OKs Raymundo-Intal-Ababou deal". interaksyon.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  8. ^ Villar, Joey; Beltran, Nelson (May 13, 2012). "Veterans test RSJs in PBA All-Star duel". Philstar.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "PBA: Records toppled as Veterans demolish Rookies-Sophomore-Juniors squad". GMA News Online. May 13, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  10. ^ Dioquino, Delfin (May 25, 2018). "Romeo erupts for All-Star Game record 48 points as Gilas frustrates Luzon". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  11. ^ Cadayona, Russell (July 20, 2012). "Ginebra o B-Meg?". Philstar.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  12. ^ "Ika-2 Coach of the Year ni Guiao". Philstar.com. September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Ababou out for six months with ACL injury". Spin.ph. November 5, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  14. ^ Sacamos, Karlo (November 5, 2013). "Ababou keen to make most of 'second chance' at Ginebra after trade close call". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  15. ^ Lozada, Mei-Lin (November 17, 2013). "Ababou on comeback: 'Parang spring - the more you're down, the higher you bounce back'". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  16. ^ "Ginebra looks to future as it trades James Forrester, Dylan Ababou for a Barako first-round pick". Spin.ph. March 31, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  17. ^ Sacamos, Karlo (June 18, 2015). "Is Barako Bull losing games to pick playoff opponent? Joseph Yeo, Dylan Ababou respond". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  18. ^ "Transactions | PBA on INQUIRER.net". pba.inquirer.net. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  19. ^ Ramos, Gerry (November 14, 2016). "TNT's lack of big men prompts Dylan Ababou trade to Blackwater for Frank Golla". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  20. ^ Ramos, Gerry (April 6, 2017). "Dylan Ababou: 'Di bale na 'yung paulit-ulit kang ma-trade, basta may team ka'". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  21. ^ Sacamos, Karlo (August 15, 2017). "Baguio reunites with Guiao at NLEX, Baracael to GlobalPort, Ababou to Phoenix in three-team trade". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Sacamos, Karlo (November 22, 2017). "Dylan Ababou taking one-conference KIA deal as a challenge to prove self all over again". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  23. ^ Terrado, Reuben (January 13, 2019). "Notable omissions from PBA 44th season opening day rosters". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Sacamos, Ariane Karlo (January 23, 2024). "Dylan Ababou starts afresh in US juggling four jobs and pursuing one dream". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  25. ^ "Dylan Ababou Player Profile - PBA-Online.net". PBA-Online.net. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016.
  26. ^ "Dylan Ababou Player Profile - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
  27. ^ Leongson, Randolph B. (January 14, 2019). "After PBA cut, Carlo Lastimosa and Dylan Ababou take act to 3x3". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  28. ^ Leongson, Randolph B. (October 30, 2020). "Munzon, Rike torn as Zambo likely to face pal Ababou's Porac in quarterfinal". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  29. ^ Leongson, Randolph B. (June 19, 2021). "Dylan Ababou banners Platinum Karaoke team in PBA 3x3". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  30. ^ Leongson, Randolph B. (November 17, 2021). "Dylan Ababou's PBA comeback via 3x3 derailed by Achilles tear". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Sacamos, Karlo (September 26, 2022). "Dylan Ababou set to start new life in the US". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  32. ^ "Malaysia minasaker ng Nationals". Philstar.com. April 15, 2004. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  33. ^ "RP Youth faces tall odds in India". Philstar.com. September 9, 2004. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  34. ^ a b Tamayo, Paul (July 22, 2021). "Dylan Ababou Unplugged: On recovering from an injury-crippled PBA career, and becoming a Man of God". Dribble Media. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  35. ^ "Ababou, 3 UST students join new UAAP season's broadcast team". March 25, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
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