Barangay Ginebra guard Jayson David is facing the toughest setback of his young career with quiet strength, choosing acceptance and faith as he prepares for surgery following a torn ACL.
David sustained the injury in Ginebra’s debut game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup against the Macau Black Knights, a painful blow that came just as he was beginning to earn regular minutes in coach Tim Cone’s rotation. Despite the long rehabilitation ahead, the Mabalacat, Pampanga native has remained upbeat, continuing to show up for his team’s games with an immobilizer strapped to his right knee.
For David, the injury was especially heartbreaking because it happened at a time when he felt his hard work was finally paying off.
“Hindi naman natin lahat gusto yung nangyari. Pero andiyan na, e. Tanggapin na lang natin,” he said.
He recalled the painful moment early in the first quarter when he went down while trying to drive past Macau guard Damian Chong Qi. The excitement of opening the conference quickly gave way to fear and disappointment.
“Nung bumagsak ako parang nanlumo ako. First game namin so excited ako,” David said.
The injury came just as he was starting to carve out a bigger role for himself with the Gin Kings, making the setback even harder to absorb.
“Sobrang excited ako sa conference na ito, may minutes na ako, e. Ilang taon ko rin trinabaho yun, yun din ang iniisip ko. Pero tatanggapin ko na lang,” he added.
At first, David held on to hope that the injury was not as serious as it seemed, especially since he could still walk normally even without the immobilizer.
“Actually naglalakad ako ng maayos. Hindi ko ramdam. Sabi ko nga parang hindi ACL ito,” he shared.
But the MRI results confirmed the worst. David tore his ACL, while his LCL also suffered swelling from the impact.
“Putol ang ACL ko, tapos yung LCL ko sobrang maga kasi pumitik. Malakas lang yung muscle ko kaya hindi ko ramdam,” he said.
He is expected to undergo surgery after Holy Week once the swelling in his LCL subsides. The recovery process could keep him out for as long as 12 months, forcing him into a long and demanding road back to the court.
Still, David refuses to be consumed by frustration. Instead, he is choosing to trust the process and keep his faith at the center of his recovery.
“May plano si God sa akin, so hindi ako mag-aalala, hindi ako magku-question. Basta kasama ko si God at yung buong pamilya ko, ok na ako,” he said.
For now, David’s fight has shifted from game nights to rehabilitation, but if his mindset is any indication, the Ginebra guard is determined to come back stronger from the biggest test of his career yet.