I am not the biggest Jordan Heading fan.
In terms of talent, he’s probably the heir apparent to Jimmy Alapag.
However, if he didn’t want to play for Terrafirma, why did he make himself available in the draft? In the 2020 PBA Draft, Terrafirma could have had Will Navarro. Tzaddy Rangel might have been a dud, but Jaydee Tungcab had a couple of games where he played well.
And yeah, I do understand why Terrafirma has a superstar red flag with the way it squanders its opportunities. 2024 marks the first decade of its championship drought.
That said, at least Heading knows his worth. I mean, I know he's going to be Terrafirma's superstar if he played for the team, but you can bet that his stock would decrease every time Team Dyip registers a 1-9 or 2-8 win-loss record.
Terrafirma isn’t the only PBA team without a championship. Before Meralco won the 2023-24 PBA Philippine Cup, the Bolts led a list of deprived franchises. NLEX is an MVP team that has yet to win a title, with Terrafirma, Blackwater, Northport, Converge, and Phoenix also part of the conglomerate.
The difference between these teams is that NLEX and Converge are trying hard to evolve. I mean for NLEX, they still have the backing of Manny Pangilinan despite being the clear least favorite amongst the sister squads. Converge, on the other hand, is going to have a major facelift with the entry of Heading and Justine Baltazar, alongside Justin Arana, Schonny Winston, and Alec Stockton.
Phoenix is a team that wants to win but doesn’t have the resources to compete, Northport is keeping its rich, championship tradition out of the PBA’s grasp so they can have the look and feel of SMC farm teams, and Terrafirma and Blackwater are the youngest teams that could care less about championships.
Now, back to Heading.
Heading joins a list of former Terrafirma top picks dating back from their debut whose rights and presence were wasted unceremoniously to other top teams.
DRAFT | PLAYER | WHAT HAPPENED |
2015 | 2 - TROY ROSARIO | Rights traded to TNT |
2017 | 1 - CHRISTIAN STANDHARDINGER | Rights traded to San Miguel |
2018 | 1 - CJ PEREZ | Played two seasons with the franchise before getting traded to San Miguel |
2019 | GILAS RD - ISAAC GO | Played 33 games (3 seasons) before getting traded to Ginebra |
2019 | 1 - ROOSEVELT ADAMS | Played 22 games (2 seasons) before moving to the Japan B.League |
2021 (S46) | GILAS RD - JORDAN HEADING | Rights traded to Converge |
2021 (S46) | 1 - JOSHUA MUNZON | Played 31 games (1.5 seasons) before getting traded to Northport |
2022 (S47) | 2 - JEREMIAH GRAY | Rights traded to Ginebra |
2023 (S48) | 1 - STEPHEN HOLT | Played one season before getting traded to Ginebra |
2024 (S49) | 3 - RJ ABARRIENTOS | Rights to pick third overall was traded to Ginebra |
If you want to be a dick and mess with Terrafirma, you can do so by telling them that they virtually have a PBA All-Star team at their disposal if only they kept their picks!
And with the Gray trade, they averted disaster by getting Javi Gomez de Liano at number eight. I know Javi GDL wanted to play for the Korean league, but maybe they can get his services if and when he returns to the Philippines.
Yes, they still have his rights, but Terrafirma tends to mess up their leverage.
CONVERGE GETS | TERRAFIRMA GETS |
RIGHTS TO JORDAN HEADING | CONVERGE'S 2026 (SEASON 51) FIRST-ROUND PICK |
ALJUN MELECIO | |
KEITH ZALDIVAR |
While I know getting anything for Jordan Heading is better than nothing, Terrafirma could have asked for more.
For starters, Melecio averaged 1.1 points, 0.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.3 steals in seven games for the FiberXers. Zaldivar fared even worse - as he went stat-less in two games. The deal is as crazy as the deal that sent Rey Nambatac to TNT, with Blackwater acquiring Kib Montalbo, Jewel Ponferada, and a future second-round pick. The only leverage Terrafirma has with these players is that at least they have active contracts that will more or less expire (I think) after the season.
The only silver lining for both players is that Terrafirma is currently talent-starved and is under new management. John Edel Cardel has been relieved from his duties and Raymond Tiongco is relatively new in the basketball scene in terms of head coaching for a PBA team. Christian Standhardinger will or will not play right away after suffering a hyper-extended left knee, and Juami Tiongson is still recovering from a partial hamstring tear. Brent Paraiso also got injured during practice. Mark Nonoy and CJ Catapusan are expected to bolster the lineup, but I doubt if both players can create an immediate impact.
And about the 2026 first-round pick? By that time, Converge would have been a powerhouse. Maybe the SMC teams are still on top, with TNT, Meralco, and Rain or Shine battling for semifinal spots, but it's a major letdown, especially if Heading becomes a top star.
I guess the only saving grace for Team Dyip is if they can convince C-Stan to stay with the squad. At his age and this stage of his career, he's probably looking for title-hungry squads.
What are the chances of him returning to Ginebra after his contract expires?
More than that, how long will it take for Heading to transform Converge into a perennial championship contender?