FEATURE: Has Clint Escamis Derailed His Potential Overseas Career?

Alta Sports4 months ago · 23 views

FEATURE: Has Clint Escamis Derailed His Potential Overseas Career? image

Photo: NCAA Philippines

By Raymond Reyes

After steering Mapua University to its Season 100 championship run, Clint Escamis stood at a pivotal crossroads: return for one last campaign with the Cardinals or finally take the leap to an overseas career.

At 24, Escamis had nothing left to prove in collegiate basketball. In just two seasons since transferring back from the UAAP, he collected every major individual award—MVP, Finals MVP, Rookie of the Year, Mythical Team, and All-Defense. Many even regarded him as the best college player in 2024, with only La Salle superstar Kevin Quiambao able to challenge his status.

But less than a year later, Escamis’ draft stock has taken a noticeable hit.

His numbers in Season 101 have dipped across the board: 10.7 points, 4.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, while shooting just 32.3% from the field, including a brutal 15% from three.

This is a stark contrast to the stat lines that defined his meteoric rise. He averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.8 steals in his breakout Rookie-MVP season, and followed it up with 17.1 points, 4.0 assists, and multiple 30-point performances in Season 100.

Escamis has repeatedly said that the dip was intentional—that he chose to step back so others could step up.

“I want the team to see that I am willing to sacrifice for them,” he explained.

But the approach has not served Mapua well. The defending champions finished the eliminations with a middling 7–6 record and will enter the quarterfinals with a twice-to-beat disadvantage, a steep fall from last year’s dominance.

An assistant coach from another NCAA team, who requested anonymity, offered a blunt assessment: if any player posted Escamis’ current numbers, overseas scouts wouldn’t be calling.

“He is still Mapua’s star, there is no question about that. But his struggles and inconsistencies, at least in the eliminations, are a bit alarming if I were them,” he said.

Last season, Escamis’ willingness to share the spotlight elevated his teammates. Chris Hubilla became Rookie of the Year, while Lawrence Mangubat blossomed into an elite 3-and-D wing.

But with both players now at Jose Rizal University, the circumstances are very different. This time, Escamis remains Mapua’s top option, yet he has taken fewer shots and played more passively despite the roster turnover. He also argued that his new approach is preparation for the pros.

“When you get there, you won’t be a star player right away. You need to fit in, and that’s why I am practicing that,” he said.

But this contradicts the reason he gave for returning to Mapua in the first place. During the pre-season, he insisted he came back solely to chase a second straight title; in his words, the pros could wait.

“I really want to focus entirely on winning another title for Mapua,” he said before Season 101 tipped off.

“We are coming off a title, and our chances are better and higher because of that. So I really need to live up to my role as team captain, do everything that I can to fulfill this.”

Even now, the situation is far from beyond repair. The question is whether Escamis can flip the script quickly enough to salvage both Mapua’s title defense and his own professional trajectory.

A strong playoff showing, even without a championship, would go a long way toward restoring his draft and overseas stock. But Mapua faces the steepest climb of all: they must beat powerhouse College of Saint Benilde twice in the quarterfinals to stay alive.

Still, if there's one thing Escamis has proven across his career, from surviving a winless stint with UE in Season 84 to becoming one of the country’s top collegiate stars, it’s that he thrives when counted out.

And with his story at Mapua nearing its final chapters, he may need one more reinvention to end his collegiate career on his own terms.

—JMS, Alta Sports

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