Whenever a teenage Maverick Ahanmisi would prepare for his games as a high school phenom in Santa Clarita California, brother Jerrick, six years younger, would be trying to emulate his kuya at warm-ups.
"He's always there shooting in the background while I have games, like I have to suit up and get ready for games and he's always like there shooting around in the back. I would always think to myself that he can shoot. At such a small age, I could already see that he was a shooter," remembered Maverick.
As the two grew up, they always played pick-up games in a gym near their house. It became a referendum of knowing who was the better player. Naturally, Maverick held the advantage.
Eventually, Maverick was able to play NCAA Division 1 ball at the University of Minnesota for four years, before being drafted third overall by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in 2015.
Around the same time, Jerrick, who was fresh out of high school, went to the Philippines to try his luck with several UAAP schools. When none of his first choices accepted him, he tried out for his last school, Adamson University. If he did not make the cut, he would go home.
The Falcons' new coaching staff, led by veteran mentor Franz Pumaren, decided to take a chance on the Fil-Am.
Don Allado, who flourished as an MVP under Pumaren in La Salle, eventually reunited with his college coach as an assistant with the Falcons. He recalled how different Jerrick looked as an incoming freshman.
"When he first came in, he was physically underdeveloped. He was very skinny. He did not have the confidence that he has now. Although we did notice that he was passionate about the game. We did notice that he had skills and outside shooting," recalled Allado, also a longtime pro.
Moreover, the scrawny Jerrick was below par for Pumaren's high standards on defense, which is the most important aspect of his coaching philosophy.
The coach, knowing that he had to rely on the 6'1" guard if they were to improve, started to push the teenager's buttons so that he could succeed on both ends of the floor.
"I would say during practice again, coach Franz definitely pushed us, he definitely screamed at us. He would yell at us or yell at me. I wouldn't take anything personally, I wouldn't take anything to heart. I would definitely take it as constructive criticism," remembered Jerrick.
"I would take it as if I need to really just make myself better, make my game better, and all that. I would definitely say coach Franz helped me become more mentally tough," he added.
Under Pumaren, the Falcons were able to make the Final Four in Ahanmisi's first three seasons with the team, including a second seed in UAAP Season 81. However, the team blew their twice-to-beat advantage against the UP Fighting Maroons in the semis.
In his final year with Adamson, Ahanmisi averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. But the team was not as successful as before, missing the postseason after finishing Season 82 with a 4-10 record.
In December, Jerrick declared for the PBA Rookie Draft, which has now shaped up to become the deepest in years. Maverick admitted that his younger sibling's decision to skip his final year caught him by surprise.
"I was just shocked because it wasn't really something that he had planned. But I know, especially that they took most of the requirements with the COVID situation right now, he just took it upon the opportunity to enter the draft," explained Maverick.
"At the end of the day, when he did tell me he was going to enter the draft, all I could think about is like, the excitement of finally getting to play in the same league together."
The scouting report on Jerrick pegs him as a good shooter who might need to hit the gym a little more. One of Jerrick's opposing coaches in the UAAP believes that his knack for scoring the ball at a high rate will be his main advantage over his peers.
"You had to prepare for him in the scouting report because aside from being a good shooter, he actually has a quick release and he shoots a jump shot so he gets a shot off quickly, be that off of a fastbreak for open threes or off of pindowns or screens for him and also off of pick and rolls," observed the coach.
"So those qualities make him really a good shooter. We had to make sure that we did not give him open looks and we wanted - every time we played him - we wanted to make sure that we had someone in his face whenever he caught the ball," the coach further explained.
The three people that ESPN5.com interviewed unanimously agreed that Ahanmisi needs to bulk up more in order to keep up with the physicality of the PBA.
The opposing coach also mentioned that Jerrick needs to be able to add a kink to his game, and be willing to be played more at point guard.
"The question mark there is can he take the physicality in the PBA, more mature players? And also, can he become - he is not a bad defender - but can he become a very good one? That is I guess the challenge posed to him. Can he also help being a facilitator on offense, like play point guard if needed. Those are the questions with regards to him taking his game to the next level," said the coach.
Allado also mentioned that his former ward must work on his maturity as well. "[It means] taking charge. There is going to be a time where the main guys will be checked and coaches will sometimes rely on him, maybe at an early part of his career to take charge," explained the center.
In the event Jerrick gets drafted, it will be a marquee moment in the lives of the brothers that can only be surpassed when the two reunite on the hardwood.
"We definitely played games with each other back home and against each other as well. Playing at the gym back home, it's not super competitive as it is like playing in the PBA or playing as a pro. It's a different type of game, type of mindset," said Jerrick, who is currently no. 12 in ESPN5's mock draft.
"It's definitely going to be exciting playing to play against or with my brother in the pro leagues. It's always been a dream for both of us to play professionally wherever that is going to be in the world and the fact that we're going to be playing with or against each other is just a dream come true for real."