Freddie Webb hopes son also rises
Like any father, basketball legend Freddie Webb only wants the best for his son, who happens to be making his debut as a head coach in the PBA.
The older Webb was there with his wife and two granddaughters at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday night when son Jason gingerly opened a new and tantalizing phase of his career by handling the coaching chores for the Star Hotshots, one of San Miguel Corporation’s three teams in the PBA.
“As a father, you always hope for the best for your son,” said Webb, looking fit and trim at 72.
Webb’s team controlled the game early, but lost steam in the second half and dropped an 87-96 decision to ROS that played minus the injured Paul Lee, who is out with a partial ligament tear on the left knee.
Freddie Webb played for Letran in college, with Yco in the MICAA before joining Tanduay Rhum in the early years of the PBA. His son also took the same route, playing for La Salle in the ’90s before turning pro.
The younger Webb suited up for the defunct Sta. Lucia Realty, which selected him No. 3 overall pick during the 1997 PBA Rookie Draft, and Tanduay before retiring in 2001.
The elder Webb, who coached YcoTanduay (1981-83) and Shell (1985), said that being a former pro gives his son a feel for the game.
From being a game analyst during PBA games, Jason joined the coaching staff of Tim Cone with the Hotshots last season.
He was appointed the Star’s coach when the San Miguel management decided to move Cone to Barangay Ginebra.
“I know that it’s a hard task ahead of him but he’s used to pressure. He’s done it before. This is his first time to really coach in the PBA, and I hope that whatever he learned from the past, he can use it here,” said Webb, who watched the game from behind the Star bench with wife Beth and Jason’s daughters Blessing and Tatiana.
“Jason is a good communicator. I think that’s one of the assets of a coach. Plus, the fact that he knows how it is to be a player, he knows what they want, how players react, what to expect.”
“He also has learned a lot from Tim Cone. Of course, any coach that comes into another system of another coach will have to make the necessary adjustments, and I think he knows how to deal with it,” added Webb, also a former senator.
Now an actor and host of a radio program, Webb said his son only asked his advice once – when the offer came to coach the Hotshots.
“Before he received the job, he asked me what I think about it,” said Webb.
“I told him, ‘you’re in your forties (41), you should be able to know what is right’,” Webb said. “He figured that a door opened for him and I hope he can prove himself worthy to be a good coach.”