Arvin Tolentino keeps PBA return in play while staying locked in on KBL run

Even as his career continues to unfold overseas, the pull of home remains a constant for Arvin Tolentino.

Now suiting up for the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League (KBL), the former PBA standout isn’t shutting the door on a return to the Philippines—but he’s in no rush to make that decision.

“Of course, still home for me ang Philippines. Iba pa rin kapag nasa sariling bayan ka,” said Tolentino before heading back to Korea following his team’s exit in the East Asia Super League finals.

“But right now, wala pa yan sa isip ko dahil I’m still focused on my team (Seoul SK Knights).”

Tolentino’s situation is unique. Unlike several players affected by the PBA’s three-year ban on those who bypass contract offers to play elsewhere, the 30-year-old wingman left for Korea before the rule was enforced. That timing leaves the door open for a potential return whenever he chooses.

Still, any talk of a comeback remains distant. Tolentino is currently in the first year of a two-year deal with the Knights, with a possible option to decide his next move afterward.

“Two years and then I have an option to come back on the third (year),” he shared.

“Yung two years na yun baka puwede pag-isipan (PBA comeback). But right now, I can’t answer anything regarding that.”

For now, his focus is firmly on carving out a role in a league that has tested him in new ways. The transition from the PBA to the KBL has been far from seamless, particularly with the pace and style of play in Korea.

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The AQ player showing the highest efficiency in the second half of this season is Arvin Tolentino.

5GAMES
13.0PTS
3.8REB
1.4AST
2.2TOV
3PT 35.2%

Note : His performance in the second half reminds me of Lee Hyunjung of the Japanese B-League. #ArvinTolentino pic.twitter.com/ayX5fLZOr9

— 알럽바스켓공 (@baekpd1983) March 13, 2026

“Doon ako nag-struggle. Ang bibilis ng mga ito (Koreans). Pero inunti-unti ko sa practice. Habol lang ng habol sa mga guwardiya hanggang nasanay na,” he admitted.

“Of course, yung strength ko pa rin is spacing the floor, doon talaga ako nag-focus. Yun ang hindi puwedeng mawala.”

Nearly a year into his stint abroad, Tolentino says the adjustment is still ongoing.

“I can’t say na 100 percent adjusted na ako. Until now marami pa rin (adjustments), kasi super different e. Iba yung PBA and KBL,” he said.

His path also differs from most Filipino imports in Korea, many of whom transitioned directly from the collegiate ranks.

“Kasi yung iba doon galing college. Ako lang yung may experience from the PBA to KBL,” he explained. “So I have to adjust on my own and really be smart.”

Despite the learning curve, Tolentino has quietly put together a steady campaign for Seoul. In the 2025–26 KBL season, he is averaging around 11.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in roughly 21 minutes of action, while shooting an efficient clip from the field and beyond the arc. 

In the Seoul Knights campaign in the East Asia Super League (EASL) however, the former FEU Tamaraw has averaged 18 points per game leading the Knights to an EASL quarterfinals appearance. 

Those numbers reflect a player still finding his full rhythm in a new system, but already contributing to a team that remains firmly in the upper half of the standings.

And while the future remains open-ended, one thing is clear: whether in Korea or back home, Tolentino is determined to keep evolving his game—one adjustment at a time.

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