IN DEFENSE OF | ALEC STOCKTON'S CLUTCH GENE

In the 2021 PBA Draft (or Season 46 Draft, if you want to be technical about it), there were 24 other players picked ahead of Alec Stockton, including the special Gilas round selections. Names like Tzaddy Rangel, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike, Ken Holmqvist, Brian Enriquez, Rey Mark Acuno, Joshua Torralba, Taylor Browne, Franky Johnson, and Nick Demusis are now playing in other leagues. At the same time, players such as Ben Adamos, Larry Muyang, James Laput, and Aljun Melecio have yet to fully live up to their potential.

As the only surviving member of the last Alaska squad to see action in the league, Stockton has not only proven to be worth every cent of his contract—he may even be worth more. The former FEU Tamaraw has the talent, the confidence, and the pedigree to be one of the league’s premier SGs.

The only real concern in his game is that the California-raised guard sometimes lets his Kobe genes take over.

Look, if you want to be a future Hall of Famer—or at the very least, a player fans will still be talking about a decade after you retire—you have to embrace the role of the hero. That’s part of the job. Alec Stockton understands this better than most. For every team that passed on him in the draft and for every critic who questions his contract or the opportunities he’s been given, moments like these are his ultimate way of saying, “I belong here.”

And really, what’s the problem with that? Great players are built on moments of defiance. They thrive on proving people wrong, on taking the shots others are afraid to take. That mentality is often what separates the memorable from the forgettable.

Again, what’s the problem with that, right?

Right?

That's until you miss the shot.

And all hell breaks loose.

Yes, there’s a fine line between confidence and hero ball. While many players shy away from taking the big shot, Stockton is never afraid of the moment. That’s admirable, but hero ball is, by nature, a high-risk, high-reward approach that often leads to forced shots and missed opportunities to find better scoring options.

To be clear, I’m not against him taking those shots. In fact, if a player wants to elevate his status from a reliable starter to a true superstar, he has to be willing to live or die by those moments.

However, even Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan eventually learned the value of trusting their teammates. For every clutch jumper Jordan hit, there are just as many iconic clips of him passing to John Paxson and Steve Kerr for championship-winning shots. The same can be said of Kobe.

Again, I’m not saying that Alec Stockton is a ballhog for most of the game. However, in crunch time, he tends to develop tunnel vision.

A perfect example came after Justin Brownlee missed both of his free throws, giving Converge a chance to cut into a 97–93 deficit with just under 30 seconds remaining. Instead of running a composed possession, Stockton immediately looked for a four-point shot. Understandably, Ginebra’s defense would prioritize closing out on shooters in that situation, but it was clear that Stockton was locked in on the basket the entire time. He forced up a heavily contested attempt despite the outstretched arms of Troy Rosario and the obvious difficulty of the shot.

What made the decision more questionable was that he had time and teammates. He could have made an extra pass to players like Justine Baltazar or Archie Concepcion. Even if they missed, Converge would still have had enough time to regroup, set up their defense, or extend the game through fouls.

Maybe then, Stockton could have used that chance to make an iconic Ginebra fanbase-destroying long-distance bomb.

Instead, Stockton took a rushed, high-degree-of-difficulty attempt that didn’t even give his team a chance to crash the boards. Because the shot went up so quickly, no Converge player was in position to contest for a rebound, effectively ending their chance at a second opportunity.

From the costly foul on Jeremiah Gray in the quarterfinals to the late-game miscues against San Miguel and Ginebra in this conference, there have been moments where better decision-making could have changed the outcome.

Again, I don’t fault Stockton for being Converge’s go-to guy in crunch time. If anything, I admire his guts. But as the FiberXers continue to build a deeper and more talented roster, Stockton has to recognize that he’s no longer the only player capable of delivering in the clutch. Juan Gomez de Liano, Justine Baltazar, Mikey Williams, Justin Arana, and even Archie Concepcion are all capable of hitting big shots. Calvin Abueva is still expected to suit up, and he’s another proven closer. And looking ahead to future seasons, the potential addition of Dave Ildefonso only adds to the competition for late-game touches.

And to be fair, it’s not like the blame falls entirely on Stockton. Even after his attempt, Converge still had chances to stay alive. Mikey Williams misfired on a sideline three, and Archie Concepcion’s last-ditch four-point heave didn’t even come close, ending up as nothing but air.

Stockton thrives under the spotlight, but costly mistakes in those moments could eventually give management reason to explore other options—not because he lacks talent, but because the team is becoming increasingly stacked.

There were even discussions in the past about whether Converge should have kept Schonny Winston instead, especially given Winston’s efficiency with NLEX in crunch-time situations.

We’ve seen this scenario play out in most leagues now, where players with Stockton’s archetype eventually lose their roles to teammates who are seen as safer and more reliable in late-game situations. Stockton arrived in Converge during a time when the team was struggling near the bottom of the standings, and he played a huge role in their rise. But as the franchise continues to evolve, it’s fair to wonder whether he remains part of their long-term core or if he could eventually become the piece they sacrifice to take the next step.

There’s no question that Stockton’s upside is something the FiberXers should be excited about. But for him to secure his place as one of the team’s true cornerstones, he has to continue improving his decision-making—especially when the game is on the line.