With the third pick in the 2022 SBL draft, the Taiwan Beer selected Vanung University’s forward Humphery Edobor Gabriel “Gabe” on Monday in an unexpected turn of events.
Gabe injured his elbow a few hours before the draft at the draft combine earlier in the day and had to endure 6 stitches after about 2 hours in a nearby Hospital before returning to take part in the scrimmage leading to the draft.
Gabe had signed a two year contract with Jeoutai technology 24 hours after inspiring Vanung University to a fourth place finish in the 2022 UBA in April only for the club to be disbanded a month later thus forcing the former Mesa Ridge High School Colorado Graduate to enter the SBL Pick.
Widely expected to be in the first round pick, little did he expect he would be the No. 1 pick of Taiwan Beer, but after Chunghua Paulli and Yulon Dinos made their 1st picks all eyes were on Taiwan Beer to get their lucky charm and they did leaving Gabe for the Taiwan.
The change of events even surprised Gabe himself.
He only worked out with the Taiwan Beer ahead of the draft, believing he wouldn’t slip further than them, and prioritized meeting with them after they finished 2nd in the 2022 Season. Gabe only met with the Taiwan Beer at the draft combine earlier before the draft.
The Taiwan Beer Basketball Team is a semi-professional basketball team in the Super Basketball League (SBL) in Taiwan sponsored by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation (TTL). Before the privatisation of the sponsoring corporation in 1999, the team was named “Taiwan Tobacco and Wine.
Gabe was a dynamic freshman at Vanung in 2019 and played in the UBA Div 2 as he led the Lions in their attempt to return to the first division only to miss out in the last seconds of the playoff.
Vanung returned in 2020 with Gabe the most experienced player in his side and took the team on his shoulders to inspire them to a championship season and gained promotion to the elite division to the delight of Coach Bansim who has gone as far to say that Gabe’s the best all round player in college in more than a decade.
Stats back that claim up, too. He’s not the tallest, standing at 6-foot-5 he was arguably the best shot blocker in the UBA last season with an average of 3 blocks per game. Gabe is no doubt a generationally good scorer and a deadeye shooter. His mid range shots and perimeter shots were instrumental to Vanung’s qualification to the Last 8 playoffs. He was well above average as a catch-and-shoot scorer as well.
Creativity with his shot does give rise to some questions – outside of dribble-jumpers and catching to shoot, he’s pretty limited getting to his shot – but guess what? Gabe is a generationally talented shooter for his 6-foot-5 size. The shot variety we saw in spurts will come eventually. He’ll add more weight to his frame and more zest to his game. It’s why early indications are the Taiwan beer, who has the most titles in the SBL, 6 in number and looking to win back the title after finishing behind Taiwan bank, reportedly locked in on him as their top target with the pick as they look to add to their young and exciting core in Taipei.
“I am very happy to be here today and I am so grateful to God” Gabe said in his acceptance speech. Asked what he looks forward to as a professional with Taiwan Beer the former Extra joss fighters of Cambodia responded “ I want to improve myself, I think I am capable of doing everything on the court but I need to experience more in basketball and get better everyday” “ with time we will be able to build the right team chemistry” he added
Gabe took the moment also to give thanks to his family for their support throughout his pursuit to realising his dream to play professional basketball. “ I am very happy for my family, they pushed me everyday to be here and without them i wouldn’t be here today” he stated. He also went on to shout out to his manager Mr Ryan Shih.”Also I want to thank Mr Ryan Shih, He is more than just a manager, like a father to me and took good care of me everyday, thanks to him for getting me this far” he said.
