The Fall and Rise of Jay Washington

It's amazing how a simple change in scenery can do so much to a player's floundering career.  Case in point is GlobalPort forward Jay Washington.  Just a year ago, people were dismissing Jay-Wash as washed-up (no pun intended), a has-been.   After all, how many players over 30 get to jumpstart their game again after years of injuries?  Not too many.  It takes special players to do just that.

A player like Jay Washington.

(photo from the PBA)

Anthony Jay Washington entered the league as the top overall pick in 2005. Washington possessed a rare mix of size, athleticism and shooting, and players with those attributes are almost always surefire to dominate (Danny Seigle anyone?). You see, you don't often come across a 6'7" guy with incredible hops and a smooth shooting touch to boot.

However, Washington struggled in his rookie year, averaging 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and only 15 minutes per game in a stacked Talk n' Text team.  He began displaying his potential in his second season, upping his averages to 13.5 points and 7 rebounds.  After 3 seasons with Talk n' Text, he was traded to the San Miguel Beermen, where he soon flourished into a superstar.

In his first couple of seasons in San Miguel, he was named to the PBA 1st Mythical Team 2 times, won Best Player of the Conference twice, and led his team to the 2009 Fiesta Conference title.  Washington was primed to be the new face of the franchise.

Then injuries happened.  J-Wash missed over 50 games in over 2 seasons due to an assortment of injuries. San Miguel also landed Arwind Santos in 2009, and with Washington in sick bay, the Beermen found themselves another alpha dog.  Last season, Washington posted a career-low 8.9 points per game.  Saddled by injuries and a reduced role, the 31-year-old suddenly found his career spiraling down.

But sometimes, for a player that's trying to get back his confidence, all he needs is an opportunity, and that came to Washington when he was traded to GlobalPort.  Like a breath of fresh air, J-Wash rediscovered his old form.  He was finally in a team that really needed him to produce.  He was getting heavy minutes, a big role, and these helped him get back to playing at the highest level.

In just his first conference with GlobalPort, he averaged 13 points and close to 10 rebounds.  He is even better this conference, averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds and 38 minutes so far, all career-highs.  In addition, he also now serve as a leader in a very young team, and he seems to relish in that role.

At 32, J-Wash is playing some of the best basketball of his career, and he continues to showcase the skills and talent that made him the most intriguing prospect in 2005.

Nobody is calling him washed-up now for sure.

Roar out.