Juan Gomez de Liaño Comes Home at the Perfect Time

Juan Gomez de Liaño spent four years exploring the basketball world, experiencing different cultures, and learning different styles of play in Japan, Lithuania, and South Korea. You might even call him a basketball wanderlust.

The journey did not always provide consistent minutes or immediate success, but it allowed Gomez de Liaño to return home as a more mature and complete basketball player and human being.

That growth became evident as soon as the second overall pick of the 2025 PBA Rookie Draft stepped onto the floor for the Converge FiberXers.

There were few signs of opening-night nerves that can sometimes hinder rookies. Gomez de Liaño, however, was no ordinary rookie, recording 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against Titan Ultra, becoming the first player in PBA history to produce a triple-double in his league debut.

It was only the beginning.

Gomez de Liaño averaged 19.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists during the Philippine Cup, shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range – elite numbers. He recorded three triple-doubles and finished as runner-up to June Mar Fajardo in the Best Player of the Conference race.

With Gomez de Liaño injecting another dimension into the FiberXers’ free-flowing offense, Converge came within one shot of reaching the semifinals for the first time in franchise history.

The FiberXers entered their Philippine Cup quarterfinal against Barangay Ginebra with a twice-to-beat advantage, but Stephen Holt’s buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime ended their run with a 99-98 loss. Gomez de Liaño scored 25 points in the deciding game, including 18 during the fourth quarter and overtime, adding “clutch performer” to his resume.

The Commissioner’s Cup brought a different set of challenges.

Converge struggled to find consistency from its import position, eventually replacing Kylor Kelley with Donovan Smith. The FiberXers also had to incorporate two-time PBA champion Mikey Williams into an already guard-heavy rotation after his extended absence from the league.

Williams, who helped lead TNT to two championships before his departure from the Tropang Giga, gave Converge another proven shot creator. But developing chemistry between him, Gomez de Liaño, and Alec Stockton required time, and the expected firepower did not immediately translate into wins.

Converge finished the conference with a 5-7 record, falling one victory short of the playoffs.

The season-ending Governors’ Cup has given the FiberXers another opportunity to reset. They opened the conference with three consecutive wins before close losses to San Miguel and TNT dropped them to 3-2, good for third place in Group A as of July 30. Their next game is against a rejuvenated NLEX side now coached by Jimmy Alapag.

Gomez de Liaño has been with Converge for less than a year, but a new generation of PBA fans has already seen something special in the athletic left-handed wonderkid. His youthful exuberance, rebounding, and playmaking have helped raise the FiberXers’ ceiling.

“For me, I have the utmost respect for players like Scottie (Thompson), June Mar (Fajardo) and the other guys who are now towards the end of their respective careers. Personally, I think it was the perfect time for me to come to the PBA,” Gomez De Liaño told ALL-STAR in an exclusive interview. 

“My goal as a young athlete was to travel the world, I want to explore things, different cultures, different styles of basketball games. Now that I’m 26, I felt I grew a lot not just as a player but also as a person. I became a lot more mature.”

His rookie production supports that belief.

After two conferences, Gomez de Liaño ranked third in the race for the PBA Season 50 Most Valuable Player award. He averaged 17.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and one steal during that stretch, while establishing a commanding lead in the Rookie of the Year race.

He was also voted a starter for the North in the 2026 PBA All-Star Game, where he scored 23 points in his All-Star debut.

As important as the numbers have been, returning home has given Gomez de Liaño something he rarely experienced while playing overseas: the comfort of having his family and closest friends around him.

“So coming home, me, my family and my friends, I can’t take those things for granted. If you have a good game or a bad game, you know that your family will be there for you. That’s something we don’t have overseas. Having a strong support system now, that’s something I’ll never take for granted,” Gomez de Liaño said.

“I’m just happy to be back home and now playing here in the PBA, it’s a great leap. You now see the growth of the league. The PBA is always up there, especially in the Asian market. I’m just glad to be here and blessed to play for Converge.”

Gomez de Liaño’s arrival in the PBA came at the right stage of his career.

Long before he traveled overseas, he had already established himself as one of the country’s brightest young guards. He won the UAAP Juniors MVP award with UP Integrated School, became the UAAP Seniors Rookie of the Year, and later made the Mythical Five with the University of the Philippines.

In 2018, he helped the Fighting Maroons end a 21-year Final Four drought and reach their first UAAP championship series since 1986. He also recorded the first triple-double in UAAP men’s basketball in 12 years, an early sign of the all-around production that would eventually distinguish him in the PBA.

Gomez de Liaño began his professional career with Earthfriends Tokyo Z in Japan’s B.League second division in 2021. He later played for BC Wolves in Lithuania before spending two seasons with the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League.

Those stops taught him how to adjust to different coaches, roles, and basketball philosophies. They also forced him to remain prepared through injuries, limited playing time, and the isolation that can come with living away from home.

When the opportunity to join the PBA finally arrived, Gomez de Liaño was no longer merely the talented guard who had amazed spectators from UP and the rest of the college basketball community. He returned with a deeper understanding of professional basketball and what it takes to survive without a guaranteed role.

Joining Converge, one of the league’s independent franchises competing against corporate groups that own multiple teams, has also given the spirited Gomez de Liaño another reason to play with a chip on his shoulder.

His return to the Philippines reopened another important door: Gilas Pilipinas.

“I feel like I’m at the peak of my career. I’m very healthy and I thank the Lord for that. Hopefully, I get to be part of the 12, but that’s something out of my control,” Gomez de Liaño said before the national team finalized its lineup for the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

That hope was eventually fulfilled.

Gomez de Liaño earned a place in the Gilas lineup and delivered the finest international performance of his career against New Zealand in July. He finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists, hitting clutch three-pointers to extend a game the Philippines eventually lost in double overtime.

He later suffered an ankle sprain against Australia but returned to action for Converge six days later to begin the Governors’ Cup.

For Gomez de Liaño, coming home was not an admission that his overseas journey had failed. It was the culmination of everything he had learned while chasing opportunities around the world.

At 26, he has returned in time to become one of the PBA’s emerging stars, lead Converge’s pursuit of a breakthrough, and rebuild his place in the future of Gilas Pilipinas.