Gabby Espinas

Gabby Espinas

Espinas driving to the basket against Rain or Shine's Maverick Ahanmisi.
No. 27 – Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
Position	Power forward
League	MPBL
Personal information
Born	(1982-01-03) January 3, 1982 Olongapo, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
College	Philippine Christian University
PBA draft	2006: 1st round, 5th overall pick
Selected by the San Miguel Beermen
Playing career	2006–present
Career history
2006–2007	San Miguel Beermen
2007–2008	Air21 Express
2008–2009	Barako Bull Energy Boosters
2009–2010	Sta. Lucia Realtors
2010–2012	Meralco Bolts
2012–2015	Alaska Aces
2015	GlobalPort Batang Pier
2015–2018	San Miguel Beermen
2018–2019	NorthPort Batang Pier
2019	Meralco Bolts
2019–2020	Manila Stars
2021	JPS Zamboanga City
2021	Sarangani Marlins
2022	Ormoc – OCCCI Sheer Masters
2022	Sarangani Marlins
2022–present	Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
Career highlights and awards
6× PBA champion (2013 Commissioner's, 2015 Governors', 2015–16 Philippine, 2016–17 Philippine, 2017 Commissioner's, 2017–18 Philippine) PBA All-Star (2009) All-PSL Super Five (2023) NCAA Philippines Most Valuable Player (2004) NCAA Philippines Rookie of the Year (2004)

Gabriel Espinas (born January 3, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for Caloocan Batang Kankaloo of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). A 6'4" forward, he was drafted fifth overall by the Beermen in the 2006 PBA draft. He made a name in the amateur ranks as the first-ever Rookie of the Year-Most Valuable Player of the NCAA while playing for the PCU Dolphins.

Amateur career

Espinas began to play for PCU in the NCAA in the 2004 season. With Espinas, Robert Sanz, Jayson Castro, and Ian Garrido playing together with head coach Loreto Tolentino, the Dolphins made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2002.

After defeating the defending champion Letran Knights, PCU defeated the UPHSD Altas in the finals with Espinas scoring double-double numbers in the Final Four and the championship series.

He became the first NCAA player to be named as the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player in the same season. San Beda's Sam Ekwe followed suit in the 2006 season.

From 2005–06, he led the Dolphins to the finals only to lose to Letran and San Beda, respectively. However, he was still named to the Mythical Five in both seasons.

He debuted in the Philippine Basketball League in 2005 for the Harbour Centre Portmasters playing alongside Mark Cardona, LA Tenorio, Magnum Membrere, and PCU teammates Castro and Sanz.

After a stint with Harbour, he played his final two conferences with the Hapee-PCU squad, leading them to the semifinals in the Heroes Cup.

Professional career

In the 2006 PBA Draft, Espinas was drafted fifth overall by the San Miguel Beermen. After his time with PCU, he was quickly signed by San Miguel to a rookie contract. He made his PBA debut in a game against Red Bull and played an impressive performance despite the loss.

He then played the reserve role for the Beermen after the team acquired the services of Rommel Adducul and Lordy Tugade plus the return from injury of Danny Ildefonso.

The San Miguel Beermen traded Espinas for the Air21 Express' first round pick in the 2008 PBA draft.

He was then traded by the Air21 Express to the Red Bull Barako for a first round pick in the 2009 PBA Draft. The pick was then used to draft Japeth Aguilar as the first overall in 2009 by the Whoopers.

In 2009, he was again traded to the Sta. Lucia Realtors, his fourth team, for Sta. Lucia's 2009 first round pick.

In 2012, he was traded to the Alaska Aces in exchange for Jay-R Reyes.

On March 14, 2015, he was traded to GlobalPort Batang Pier in exchange for Nonoy Baclao and a 2017 first round draft pick.

On April 6, 2015, Espinas was traded back to the Beermen as part of a 4-team, 6-player trade.

PBA career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Correct as of October 4, 2016

Season-by-season averages

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2006–07	San Miguel	47	9.9	.519	.000	.582	2.9	.4	.2	.3	3.6
2007–08	Magnolia / Air21	20	9.2	.412	.143	.643	1.7	.3	.2	.2	2.6
2008–09	Red Bull / Barako Bull	33	27.9	.482	.212	.634	8.4	1.2	.4	.5	12.4
2009–10	Sta. Lucia	37	20.3	.516	.000	.616	5.3	.7	.2	.4	7.2
2010–11	Meralco	32	31.1	.487	.000	.691	8.6	1.2	.4	.7	12.1
2011–12	Meralco	34	27.8	.465	.500	.643	6.8	.9	.4	.6	11.2
2012–13	Alaska	54	17.6	.515	.000	.673	4.0	.6	.1	.3	7.5
2013–14	Alaska	43	24.5	.538	.000	.628	6.7	1.1	.4	.2	10.2
2014–15	Alaska / GlobalPort / San Miguel	32	11.8	.573	.000	.620	2.3	.4	.2	.1	3.7
2015–16	San Miguel	47	14.3	.540	.500	.689	3.4	.5	.2	.2	5.4
Career		379	19.3	.504	.220	.646	5.0	.7	.3	.3	7.6

Personal life

Espinas was born to an African-American father, who was once stationed in Subic but died when Gabby was only five years old, and to a Filipina mother.

External links

• Espinas boosts stock, gets NCAA Player of Week award
• Gameface.ph Hardcore Five of 2005
• Gameface.ph Hardcore Five of 2006