Alex Cabagnot leaves PBA, joins Goyang Sono in Korea

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

One of the most decorated players in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is headed to the Korean Basketball League.

Alex Cabagnot, a nine-time PBA champion and the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) during the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup, is set to embark on a new hoops chapter after signing with the Goyang Sono Skygunners in the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

The development was confirmed last December 18, 2023, after the Korean hoops club announced that they would be acquiring the Filipino point guard.

Cabagnot will be replacing fellow Filipino Joshua Torralba, Goyang Sono’s former Asian import, after the scoring guard suffered an injury in Korea.

Despite the age, Cabagnot’s resume is enough to prove his ability to carry a squad, proof is how he helped the San Miguel Beermen franchise establish a dynasty several years ago.

Together with June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Marcio Lassiter, and Chris Ross, the squad formed the “Death Five” lineup and reigned the PBA from 2014-2019.

Cabagnot was widely known for his mamba mentality and was tagged by the league as “The Crunchman” after hitting several game-winners for the Beermen in their playoff runs.

The hefty leftie last played for the Terrafirma Dyip but the franchise decided not to renew his contract, leaving him as an unrestricted free agent.

Cabagnot became the oldest Filipino import in the KBL and will join Rhenz Abando, Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, Justin Gutang, Miguel Oczon, and Juan Gomez de Liano.