Basketball experts sometimes believed that height is might. However, for this former big man from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the Meralco Bolt's 48th pick in the draft, height is his key to helping his parents.
Meet Ladis Lepalam, a force in the paint from the Blazers squad, who was already 6-foot-9 the last time he measured his height in 2019.
Despite his height, Lepalam was a late bloomer in basketball, having only played the sport after graduating from grade school.
"Noong Grade 6, karamihan ng mga kaklase ko ang bababa," said Lepalam, who recalled being already 6-foot-2 then. "Sabi ng mga teacher ko, bakit daw ganyan ako kalaki? Bakit daw hindi ako mag-basketball?"
From then, he learned other basketball skills such as dribbling and shooting, and eventually, with his towering feature, he found his way to the Taft-based squad.
Lepalam, a hotel and restaurant management major, said that he will make the most out of his height and devote himself to basketball.
"Yung isang way na dapat ipagpatuloy ko ang binigay na height sa 'kin is basketball talaga. Du'n ko na ifo-focus lahat ng attention ko, siyempre bukod sa paag-aaral," Lepalam said.
"Du'n ko ibibigay kasi, 'yun 'yung magiging isang way ko para makarating sa highest [level] and at the same time makatulong sa parents ko."
The bigger question now is this: will Lepalam be able to crack the Bolts roster and give them the performance from somebody with his height or will he remain a prospective project throughout his basketball life?
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