Mason Amos regaining his passion for basketball at La Salle
Photos courtesy of: Joel Pelo
It’s been a wild offseason for collegiate basketball in the Philippines filled with twists, turns, and surprises. Despite the numerous eye-catching headlines, nothing was more impactful than the recent bombshell of Mason Amos departing the Ateneo Blue Eagles for their biggest rivals, the De La Salle Green Archers.
The report caught the attention of everyone in the Philippines sports scene, whether die hard hoop aficionado or not. At that time Amos, who spent just one season as a Blue Eagle following an exciting recruitment process, was with the national team preparing for the FIBA OQT in Latvia. Back here in the country, many pondered the question: “Why did Mason Amos leave Ateneo for La Salle?”
Here are the specific details straight from the source.
“Personal matters. Family. I was really not happy at Ateneo and that’s the honest truth. I went to where I thought that I would develop the most – I still believe in that – and what’s best for my future,” Amos shared to ALL-STAR Magazine in an exclusive interview at the Serious Players Only camp held in Mandaluyong on Sunday, July 21.

The camp, which was organized in part by sports agents Nadine Jamal and Anthony Brodett, was designed to teach young basketball hopefuls the fundamentals of the game. Amos was one of the camp’s key protagonists, along with other pro and collegiate hoopers.
“I love everything I did there. I don’t regret anything I learned there,” the Fil-Aussie said about his time in Katipunan. “In life, you really got to move on. That’s the tough part, but I don’t regret anything. I know a lot of people have their own opinions about it, but I’m not worried about it.”
Amos admits there are multiple factors that led to his life-changing decision but the most significant one comes down to arguably the simplest emotion of being a human being: joy.
“There are a lot of reasons I can go into, but the main reason is I was losing my passion for the game. I wasn’t enjoying playing there and it was something that was really personal at that time. Mentally, it was killing me. A lot of people don’t understand that, but to enjoy the game, you have to be happy,” the long-range specialist shared.
A huge component of Amos’ transfer to La Salle was Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson, who has established a winning culture at DLSU where players compete for championships while also preparing for what comes next in their respective careers.
“With Coach Topex, he’s really a players’ coach. He’s someone that wants to develop you. He focuses on you. He focuses on the team but he also wants to improve his players. Just the way he coaches is something that I feel I fit better. Like my personal development. I’m preparing for the pros. That’s my goal. I always wanted to be a professional basketball player and I felt that going to La Salle was the best way that I can get there,” Amos stated.
The 6-foot-7 standout hopes to develop more as a wing player in the collegiate level as opposed to being a big man to put himself in the best position to succeed as a professional hooper in the future. Amos said he felt slower on the court because he was asked to pack on muscle weight. At DLSU he’s already training with strength and conditioning guru Miguel Aytona to drop weight while maintaining muscle. Looking noticeably slimmer, Amos says he’s once again comfortable with how he’s operating during training.

His transfer was met with considerable criticism, which he believes to be fair. Many former and current Blue Eagles posted support of the Ateneo varsity program on their respective social media profiles following the announcement of Amos’ transfer which netizens perceived as direct shots at the former Ateneo student-athlete. The subject of loyalty was prominent. Amos says he’s also been unfollowed on social media by nearly all his former teammates, save for a certain few he had relationships with prior to joining the collegiate squad.
“I knew the reactions were going to be there. I expected it. I’m not bitter about it because I know that’s how they feel and that’s totally valid. It’s their opinions. I just did what’s best for me and my family. At the end of the day, that’s what matters most,” Amos stated proudly.
But he admitted to also being disappointed by some of the posts and messages he saw.
“I understood where they were coming from but again there was slight disappointment because I know they could have handled the situation a lot better in terms of how they reacted. I don’t blame them. I know it’s Ateneo-La Salle and it really affects a lot of people, but the way I looked at it is there’s more to that than just the rivalry. People don’t understand that.”

Amos will have to sit out for a year of residency in 2024 before he can make his debut in UAAP Season 88 along with other notable transferees Jacob Cortez, Luis Pablo, and Kean Baclaan. Because he transferred before the implementation of the UAAP’s possible new residency rule, he could still have up to three years of eligibility as a Green Archer. Even now he feels he’s already a better basketball player because of the competition in daily practices against La Salle’s other top talent such as Michael Phillips and Kevin Quiambao.
Amos could make his DLSU debut when they compete at the Kadayawan tournament in Davao from July 25-28.
“It’s been an eye-opener. That was something that I feel was lacking when I was in Ateneo – the competitive spirit,” Amos shared.
“So, being around that, it’s already making me a better player. I enjoy competing with them because that’s only going to make me better. They’re really building on to my strengths, building on to my weaknesses. I’m learning a lot from KQ – MVP, won the championship. I see why he’s developing a lot and that’s part of the reason why I took myself to that school because I see myself being like [him].”
Amos accepts that everyone has his or her own opinion and those opinions might not shine him in the best light, but he’s hopeful that some time in the future when people look back at his choice to go to La Salle they will accept that it was what was best for his growth as a player and person.
“I hope people will see that it really did something better for me. I hope people finally understand that it’s what’s best for someone’s future, like someone could make a decision without being scolded, without being disrespected so much.”
Through everything, Amos is thankful for his time in Ateneo and will look back at his time in Katipunan in a positive light.
“You guys have been good to me. I’ve got nothing but love for you guys. That’s never going to change. I know that there’s bitter love for you guys, but at the end of the day, I’m forever grateful for what you guys did for me,” he said as a message to the community.
“I know you guys cheered me a lot last season. I have no regrets playing for you guys. I know it’s going to be hard for you guys to understand my situation, but I hope you guys find that soft spot for me. I’m not asking for anything. I wish you all the best.”