Chot Reyes earns record seventh Coach of the Year plum after TNT’s near-Grand Slam run

 For Chot Reyes, history may have slipped just out of reach, but legacy remains firmly in his grasp.

The TNT Tropang 5G tactician, who came within two wins of completing a coveted PBA Grand Slam, will be honored with the Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year award for a record-extending seventh time at the PBA Press Corps Awards Night on Monday, October 13, at the Novotel Manila in Quezon City.

The unanimous choice of the PBA beat reporters, Reyes guided TNT to back-to-back championships in the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup, bringing the franchise within a whisker of joining the league’s most exclusive club — those who captured all three conference titles in one season.

While the Tropang 5G’s bid fell short in the Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel, the campaign reinforced Reyes’s status as one of the most enduring minds in Philippine basketball.

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After two championships, three Finals appearances, and a long 75-game season, Chot Reyes now gets the icing on the cake.

READ: https://t.co/YnShLEccaX pic.twitter.com/pmzQms4sQT

— Manila Bulletin News (@manilabulletin) October 12, 2025

“The 62-year-old tactician was the unanimous choice by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat after he led the Tropang 5G to titles in the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup last season.”

His latest accolade adds another layer to a career already rich with milestones. Since first winning the award in 1993, Reyes has collected six more across three decades (2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2021, and now 2025) — a testament to his ability to evolve with the ever-changing game.

His journey back to the PBA in 2021 after nearly a decade away has been nothing short of remarkable. Since returning, he’s captured three titles and two of the last four Coach of the Year honors, blending modern analytics with the trademark discipline and creativity that have long defined his coaching style.

Only a handful of mentors have achieved the Grand Slam feat — Baby Dalupan, Tommy Manotoc, Norman Black, and Tim Cone — but Reyes’s near-miss underscores his consistent excellence rather than his absence from that list.

Also to be celebrated during the ceremony is Manny V. Pangilinan, the team’s owner and longtime sports patron, who will receive the Danny Floro Executive of the Year award and serve as guest of honor and speaker.

The night will likewise spotlight several of the league’s brightest stars:

Zavier Lucero (Magnolia) – Defensive Player of the Year

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (TNT) – Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year

Don Trollano (San Miguel) – Mr. Quality Minutes

Arvin Tolentino (NorthPort) – Scoring Champion

TNT’s Calvin Oftana was named the Order of Merit winner, while the All-Rookie Team includes RJ Abarrientos (Ginebra), Sedrick Barefield (Blackwater), Caelan Tiongson (Rain or Shine), Jordan Heading (TNT), Justine Baltazar (Converge), and Kai Ballungay (Phoenix).

Capping off the evening will be the Game of the Season recognition — TNT’s pulsating 87–83 overtime win over Barangay Ginebra in Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals — a battle that embodied the resilience and drama that defined Reyes’s year.

For the veteran coach, it’s not just about trophies or records anymore. It’s about the pursuit of excellence — and the consistency of a man who, three decades later, continues to redefine it.

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