FOR those people whose social media algorithm revolves around basketball, particularly local ones, it’s truly hard to miss one Kean Baclaan video.

In the social media era where almost every play from almost every league across the country gets a chance to go viral, Baclaan has turned himself into must-watch basketball on the internet, getting quite a following now from fans who have christened him as ‘Wonder Boy’ owing to his explosive exploits on the hard court despite that diminutive frame.

And it’s not just mere hype either.

Because for every clip he has sonning players in his age group in the Junior MPBL for the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, or him running circles around older men in various bush leagues and exhibition games called Panalay, there are an equal number of reels of him doing the same for La Salle against players on his actual level.

That dagger stepback three in front of Ateneo’s Joshua Lazaro in one of their preseason games, which ended with him sticking his tongue out at the Blue Eagle bench inside the Moro Lorenzo gym no less, is one perfect example of that.

That type of flair, and child-like playfulness and confidence have either endeared him to fans or have turned others who have mistaken it for arrogance.

But for coach Topex Robinson, it’s what makes Baclaan a special player.

“It just shows kanina. Let him be. That’s his strength. Ever since naglalaro pa sa San Sebastian ‘to. High school pa lang, or grade school pa lang, I already saw this kid,” Robinson said.

“I just want to bring out the kid in him. The kid who just enjoys the game. Sinasabi ko lagi, i-enjoy niya dapat e kasi doon siya magaling,” he added.

With Topex giving him space to be himself, Baclaan is slowly acclimatizing himself as one of La Salle’s lead guards in their redemption year for UAAP Season 88, as he’s slowly finding a balance between his individual brilliance and taking the lead in a more team-oriented approach, something that he’s struggled with in his first year with NU before this transfer.

In his first game in a La Salle uniform with coach Topex officially calling the shots for them, Baclaan was in a giving mood as he finished with 12 points and eight assists, both team highs, while doing it in the most efficient manner.

PHOTO: Filoil Preseason Media

Baclaan shot five of nine from the field, while turning the ball only once in those eight dimes as he led La Salle’s 65-47 win over Adamson in the opener of the Playtime Cares Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup.

Gunshy as it may be as to his standards, it was exactly what La Salle needed at that time.

That doesn’t mean that he didn’t grace the newly-minted Playtime Filoil Center with his flashy play as one of those eight assists came with a nifty behind the back pass to a trailing Mason Amos in the third quarter of what was playing out to be a blowout.

Recruited for his individual brilliance, Baclaan was just excited to show to La Salle that he can be the team’s lead guard when needed.

“Lagi lang sinasabi ng coaches sa 'min, just move the ball. Kanina siguro binigyan ko lang na chance yung mga teammates ko sa mga pasa,” Baclaan said.

“Sa game kanina medyo excited ako kasi ito 'yung first time na si coach ang head coach, kasi sa mga other leagues namin nanonood lang siya eh so may boost talaga sa 'kin yung ngayon.”

Baclaan’s arrival for La Salle wasn’t as breezy as it looks right now, especially as he had to adjust to a completely new environment at Taft.

It also came at a time when he was experiencing some of his worst times as a player as the very instrument that brought him to online superstardom captured his lowest moment yet when he rushed a game official in an inter-town championship game in Muntinlupa just a few months after his commitment to La Salle.

“He’s gonna make mistakes. We all do. But ang ano lagi sa kanya, he’s a family man, so when he makes decisions he’s not only making it for himself but also for his family,” Robinson said.

“He’s really been responding well to us in the challenge that was given to him. Sometimes he will struggle. Normal lang yun e. Pero ang tiwala is always gonna be there for him,” he added.

“He’s gonna win games or lose games, whatever happens we will support him.”

While the extra-curricular games didn’t really end, what Baclaan did was find a balance in his time as a basketball court, a family man and a full-time La Salle student, as with the help of his team he already started taking his academics seriously.

“Nung time ako nung nagsimula nag-struggle ako. Nung nag-residency ako marami akong di nagawang tama. Nung first sem ko sa La Salle, actually di ako napasok. Nahihiya ako e. Na-culture shock ako e,” Baclaan said.

“Ayun, kinausap ako nila coach na kailangan ko ayusin kasi ito na 'yung buhay mo e. After basketball, san ka pupunta kung di ka nagaral?”

So ayun inayos ko lang. Unti-unti kong inayos yung sarili ko. Napagisip ko na kailangan ko pumasok. Thankful naman ako na maayos naman ako sa La Salle.”

And it seems like he has the knack for the book as he has with the ball as Robinson proudly shared how his player, a Sports Management major, made the dean’s list for the previous sem.

For a team with huge championship aspirations, this is a feat already worth celebrating.

“Those are the wins that really matter to us,” Robinson said.

“Just how they value their stay in La Salle, being the best that they can be and being surrounded by the right people to get them out of their comfort zone, reminding them that life isn’t just basketball but kung anong gagawin nila after.”

That type of joy that Robinson is feeling can also be seen in Baclaan’s aura this early and if “Wonder Boy” keeps that joy in his game for all throughout the season into La Salle’s title reclamation drive, teams could very well be in trouble.

“Sobra akong nag-eenjoy,” Baclaan said. “Sa mga kasama ko, talagang welcome. Di talaga ako pinapabayaaan, lalo na sila coach.”

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