Yeng Guiao leaves NLEX Road Warriors after six years after being offered a corporate position instead of a coaching job within the team.
Yeng Guiao and NLEX Road Warriors have mutually agreed to part ways after six years that produced two semifinal stints for the franchise.
Guiao and the management could not come to terms of a new contract with less than three weeks before the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“It was a mutual decision between the NLEX Road Warriors management and Coach Yeng Guiao to end the agreement,” NLEX management wrote in a statement.
The seven-time PBA champion coach joined NLEX in 2016 after helming Rain or Shine and steered his team to seven playoff appearances in 13 conferences, including semifinal appearances in the 2018 Philippine Cup and 2021 Governors’ Cup.
“We thank him for developing the team. In fact, we reached the semis twice and this showed how he professionalized the team. We wish Coach Yeng all the best in his future endeavors,” the team added.
One bump in the 63-year-old tactician’s career in NLEX came after the team traded away key pieces to sister team TNT Tropang Giga, sending Poy Erram and its right to pick fourth in the 2021 Draft, which allowed TNT to select prized guard Mikey Williams.
In the process, the Road Warriors also lost Kiefer Ravena who decided to move to the Japan B.League, and Jericho Cruz — who Guiao in Rain or Shine — when the unrestricted free agent decided to sign with San Miguel this season.
According to SPIN.ph, Guiao bade farewell to the entire team, taking the players and members of his coaching staff which he will be leaving in NLEX.
The decorated mentor also broke his silence about the issue on Saturday morning saying that he made the decision to leave after being offered a high-paying corporate position and not the head coach of the team.
Tags: #PBA, #basketball, #NLEX