Working alongside famed players and influences undoubtedly gave coach Jong Uichico an abundance of memorable experiences throughout his remarkable career.
In the pilot episode of 'An Eternity of Basketball', a podcast by ESPN5.com's Charlie Cuna, Sid Ventura and Noel Zarate, the nine-time champion coach discussed four players and one fellow coach and how it was like being around them at certain points throughout their respective journeys.
Hector Calma
Calma was Uichico's teammate in the renowned Northern Cement Consolidated squad that hauled in golds in the 1982 Asian Youth Championships and the 1985 Asian Basketball Confederation. Uichico raved at Hall of Famer guard's humility.
"We are good friends on and off the court. He is a quiet leader. I admire him very much because he's a quiet leader. He doesn't say much, but we, his teammates respect him," said Uichico. "He's not arrogant. He is so easy to get along with, yet he has a big effect on the game and a big effect on us because of him being so humble."
Jimmy Alapag
The league's all-time leader in triples did not actually get the chance to win a title as a player under Uichico, who served as Talk 'N Text's assistant coach from 2014 to 2015 and as its head coach in the following season. Nonetheless, Uichico still saw first-hand how the Alapag would shine as a leader on and off the court.
"He's a different leader. Jimmy talks. What he says, the players listen. Not only does he talk, but he's also a good example to the players. That's why a Jimmy Alapag-type of player is very important to a basketball team, whether he's a player, a coach or a manager. A Jimmy Alapag-type of leader is huge," he said.
Danny Seigle
Seigle had a pretty long relationship as a player under Uichico and won seven of his eight titles -- six with San Miguel and one with Talk 'N Text -- with the 57-year-old coach at the helm. This meant Uichico was well aware of the ups and downs of working with the eight-time All-Star, but he absolutely knew Seigle would step up to the plate every time he was called on.
"Great offensive player, great guy off the court," he described. "Of course, he's my friend, but you have to be patient with him a little bit in the basketball court. But we are very good friends, and he knows his basketball, and he knows what he has to do in the game. And if you give the ball to Danny Seigle, he will deliver."
Eric Menk
Another star big man on this list to win with Uichico was Menk, who won a pair of titles with the coach in the 2006-07 Philippine Cup and the 2008 Fiesta Conference. Uichico described the challenges of coaching the four-time champion but stressed Menk's importance to those title teams -- especially during their second and last title together, where the center won Finals MVP.
"He has his ups and downs. But when he has his ups... we are professional coaches. We have to be able to deal with the psychology of the professional basketball player, who are not like college players. So you have to give some leeway to professional basketball players, and Eric Menk was one of them," he admitted. "And he's on his high game. In fact, in the championship that was against Air21, he carried us in that game. He really carried us in that game. Being a professional, Eric Menk knows when he's really needed the most. And he's really serious in his profession."
Siot Tanquingcen
Tanquingcen shares the distinction with Uichico of being the only rookie coaches to win back-to-back titles in the same year and often switched between Uichico's assistant and rival in the 2000s.
"Great assistant coach, great coach, great friend. Coach Ron (Jacobs) got him because his work ethic is 100 percent. He may not have the skills to be a great basketball player, but he has the 100 percent attitude and character to be a great person, a great coach and a great assistant coach. That's why I like him as my assistant coach all the time," he said.