Championship series often create lasting memories, but for veteran coach Chot Reyes, this year’s finals have also provided a reminder of how quickly a basketball career can evolve.

As his team prepares for another battle for a title, Reyes finds himself looking back on the first time he encountered RJ Abarrientos in a championship setting. The player standing across from him today is vastly different from the youngster he remembers years ago.

“Baby RJ pa lang siya noon,” Reyes recalled, referring to the guard’s early days when he was still trying to establish himself among the country’s top basketball talents.

The statement was delivered with a sense of appreciation for the journey Abarrientos has taken since then. What was once a promising but inexperienced player has developed into one of the most influential guards in the league, capable of changing the course of a game with his scoring, playmaking, and leadership.

For Reyes, the transformation is not surprising.

The longtime coach has spent decades observing players progress from prospects to stars. He has seen firsthand how experience, discipline, and confidence can reshape an athlete’s career. In Abarrientos’ case, Reyes believes the growth has been evident with every passing season.

When they last crossed paths in a finals environment, Abarrientos was still gaining experience and learning the finer details of competing under immense pressure. The talent was already visible, but the consistency and composure that define elite players were still developing.

Today, those qualities have become central to his game.

Abarrientos has emerged as one of the league’s most dependable backcourt performers, earning recognition for his ability to deliver in crucial moments. Whether orchestrating an offense, creating scoring opportunities, or knocking down timely shots, he has become a player opponents must constantly account for.

That development has helped elevate his status from a promising young guard to a legitimate centerpiece of a championship contender.

Reyes pointed out that maturity has played a significant role in that progression.

According to the veteran coach, younger players often rely heavily on instinct and raw ability. As they gain experience, they begin to understand game situations more clearly, make smarter decisions, and learn how to remain composed when stakes are at their highest.

Abarrientos appears to have reached that stage.

Throughout the season, he has demonstrated a stronger command of the game, showing patience when necessary and aggression when opportunities arise. Those traits have enabled him to become more effective without sacrificing the creativity that made him stand out in the first place.

The finals have provided another platform for him to showcase those improvements.

For basketball fans, the matchup represents an opportunity to watch one of the league’s emerging stars test himself against a coach who has guided multiple championship teams. For Reyes, however, it is also a chance to witness the continued growth of a player whose career trajectory has steadily pointed upward.

The respect is evident, but so is the challenge.

Stopping Abarrientos has become one of the most difficult assignments for opposing teams. His ability to impact games in various ways makes him a constant threat, whether he is scoring, distributing the ball, or creating opportunities through his movement.

Reyes acknowledged that preparing for a player of Abarrientos’ caliber requires careful planning and discipline.

At the same time, the coach emphasized that admiration does not alter the competitive nature of the finals. Once the game begins, every player becomes an obstacle standing between a team and a championship.

That competitive mindset has defined Reyes throughout his coaching career.

Yet moments like this also remind him of basketball’s unique ability to connect different generations. Coaches witness young players arrive with potential, and years later they find themselves competing against more mature versions of those same athletes on the sport’s biggest stage.

Abarrientos’ rise reflects that process.

His journey has included expectations, challenges, adjustments, and growth. Along the way, he has transformed from a player known primarily for potential into one recognized for production and leadership.

Those qualities have earned him praise throughout the basketball community and have positioned him as one of the key figures in the championship series.

As the finals continue, attention will remain focused on the battles unfolding on the court. Every possession, adjustment, and performance will carry added significance.

For Reyes, however, the series also serves as a reminder of how much can change over time.

The player he once remembered as “Baby RJ” is no longer a young prospect learning the demands of elite competition. He is now a seasoned performer entrusted with leading his team through the pressure of a title chase.

And that evolution, Reyes believes, is one of the most compelling stories of the finals itself.