Cagulangan wins KBL Rookie of the Year; Tamayo part of Mythical Team

Metro Manila, Philippines - JD Cagulangan has been named Rookie of the Year of the 2024-25 Korean Basketball League (KBL) season.

Cagulangan tallied an average of 7.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals for the Suwon KT Sonicboom, which finished fourth in the elimination round with a 33-21 win-loss record.

Cagulangan became the second Filipino import to win Rookie of the Year in the KBL after RJ Abarrientos bagged the award in the 2022-2023 season with the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus.

Meanwhile, Carl Tamayo earned a selection to the Best 5 - which is equivalent to the Mythical Team - alongside his teammate Assem Marei, Jameel Warney, Ahn Young-jun, and Kim Sun-hyung of the league-leading Seoul SK Knights.

Tamayo averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists for the Changwon LG Sakers, which compiled a 34-20 win-loss slate for the second seed heading directly to the playoffs.

Cagulangan and Tamayo played together for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, capturing the UAAP Season 82 men's basketball title.