NCAA alumni PBA stars speak out on former San Beda player Janti Miller’s ‘I refuse to play in the NCAA’ remark 

Janti Miller’s decision to walk away from San Beda — and his pointed remarks about no longer wanting to play in the NCAA — didn’t just mark the end of a collegiate chapter. It struck a nerve among those who once walked the same path and later turned it into PBA success.

For a group of former NCAA standouts now thriving in the pros, Miller’s farewell message felt less like a personal choice and more like a dismissal of a league that shaped their careers. Barangay Ginebra star Scottie Thompson, Titan Ultra’s Calvin Abueva, and Rain or Shine guard Adrian Nocum were among those who openly reacted, not with anger, but with disbelief.

Abueva, a former San Sebastian MVP who built his reputation on relentless energy and toughness, was blunt in his assessment.

“Hindi ko alam kung ano ang isyu nya sa NCAA, pero sana maisip nya, halos lahat ng nage-excel sa PBA ngayon galing sa NCAA,” he said.

Numbers, according to Abueva, back that belief. After the Philippine Cup eliminations, NCAA products dominate much of the PBA’s major statistical leaderboards, with five of eight categories topped by former players from the league. 

Another San Sebastian alumnus, Blackwater’s RK Ilagan, leads the steals race at 2.5 per game, while UAAP representation among the leaders is limited to Zavier Lucero of UP, who tops the blocks category.

For Abueva, the NCAA’s value has never been about flash or popularity.

“‘Yun kasi ang kagandahan sa NCAA, sabi nga nila pag may pangalan ka, sa UAAP ka. Pero pag may gusto kang patunayan, sa NCAA ka. At ganun nga ang nangyayari sa NCAA, lahat gustong lumaro ng todo,” he said.

“Puso at laro ang nilalabas ng mga players sa NCAA. Hindi pagwapuhan o palakihan ng allowance.”

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San Beda star Janti Miller has departed the Red Lions’ den, saying he “refuses to play in the NCAA.”

Sources say that three UAAP schools are seeking to acquire his services.

READ: https://t.co/mbM4IRoNNR pic.twitter.com/9EWcvxpdjU

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 17, 2026

Nocum echoed that sentiment, admitting the statement left him disappointed, especially given Miller’s ties to San Beda, the league’s most decorated program.

“Syempre, nasaktan ako kasi ang tanong ko bakit ayaw n’ya sa NCAA? Ano ang meron sa UAAP at bakit mas gusto nya run, to think na nasa San Beda pa siya, ang premier team sa NCAA?” said the former Mapua standout.

To Nocum, the issue went beyond leagues and labels.

“Basta ako nalungkot lang ako kasi hindi naman dapat isyu ‘yung liga na lalaruan mo basta maipakita mo yung value mo na dalhin sa championship yung school na nirerepresent mo.Nakakalungkot lang kasi talaga yung statement,” added the high-flying Elasto Painters guard.

Thompson, a former NCAA MVP and now one of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players, took a more measured stance, saying he’s trying to understand Miller’s side while still standing firmly behind the league that molded him.

“Baka naman may rason siya. Pero kung competition ang reason nya dahil sinabi n’yang ayaw n’ya sa NCAA, siguro naman the alumni of the league can speak for themselves. Marmaing produkto ang NCAA na naging superstars sa PBA,” said the Perpetual Help product.

“Dun pa lang, proud na kaming mga dating taga NC na sabihing made ang liga when it comes to producing the best athletes,” he added.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: for those who survived the grind of the NCAA and carried it into the professional ranks, the league remains less about glamour — and more about proving, night after night, that toughness still travels.

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