RABEH AL-HUSSAINI
Why he’s worth the minutes: With regards to height and post skills, the former UAAP MVP is at an advantage over the regular PBA center/forward; this is the same guy who consistently gave opposing defenses matchup nightmares on both ends of the floor: scoring in bunches and rebounding in double digits. While Al-Hussaini did not repeat as MVP in 2009—as other scoring options emerged for the Blue Eagles—it was clear that he was still the team’s most formidable centerpiece. Rabeh can sink the hook shot, hit a face-up jumper, hit the 15-footer, and unlike many big-men, his free-throw percentage is decent. His almost seven-foot frame enables him to grab the boards effortlessly, while his length allows him to execute pick-and-roll plays with ease, not to mention he can pass out off double teams quite effectively. Al-Hussaini was a classic project who showed the will to earn the starting spot for the Blue Eagles. A 6’7” center with soft hands? Sign this guy immediately.
Why he will warm the end of the bench: As reflected in his reaction to being drafted second, Al-Hussaini is an emotional player who has the propensity to lose his cool in games; particularly in situations where he feels referees are making bad calls, or when opposing players heckle him out of his game. On the court, Al-Hussaini’s defensive came is his weakness—which wasn’t a big issue during his days in the UAAP since Baclao was always there to equalize his weak-side. He also has a propensity to favor the 15-footer when he should be backing down and hitting hook shots.
The Verdict: Despite all his hype and achievements, Al-Hussaini looks like he’s just scratching the surface. Whether the unexpected drafting was a lesson in humility or a ploy to bring out the PBA star in him, Al-Hussaini will prove many pundits wrong and actually make a difference bigger than he is. As a Blue Eagle, he proved everyone wrong when he emerged out of his first two seasons (scoring less than 10 points a game) to become a formidable offensive force in capturing those back-to-back championships. There’s no saying that he can’t do this in the PBA. Being the next Ramon Fernandez is far-fetched, but he has the time and the tools to be. Al-Hussaini will be the player you look for in the post, it will be interesting to see how he works it out with the opposing bigs. I would start him over JR Quinahan any day, and even couple him with maternal brother Carlo Sharma. Growing pains are a given for rookie big men, so he will have to put in extra effort on hustle and defense if he wants to exceed expectations. Coach Yeng Guiao is known to be able to maximize his players’ talents and abilities (case in point: Larry Fonacier and Leo Najorda), and Rabeh is in safe (albeit stern) hands. Coach Yeng and Rabeh may even have that Gregg Popovich-Tim Duncan relationship, provided Coach Yeng handles his star’s emotions well. Give him about two conferences to emerge and break the rookie wall; if he blossoms earlier than that, it would make the Air21 management one pick smarter.
