JD Cagulangan: The General’s Journey

I’ve watched JD Cagulangan blaze on the basketball court, bringing soul to the game like an artist painting on canvas, since he was in high school. The success that followed him through college and now to Korea should come as no surprise. In this exclusive interview for ALL-STAR Magazine, I attempt to look beyond the armor.

“Actually bro, hindi ko talaga alam.”

It was May 13, 2022. The Mall of Asia Arena pulsed with collective anxiety as time evaporated in the decisive Game 3 of the UAAP Season 84 Finals, the first since the global pandemic. The score was knotted at 69. Nice. The University of the Philippines was on the brink of either eternal heartbreak or historic glory. UP hadn’t tasted basketball triumph since 1986 — a lifetime ago, a different era entirely.

JD Cagulangan had the ball. Less than ten seconds left, pressure suffocating the packed arena in Pasay City. The crowd stood frozen. Waiting. The result would be winning or misery. Because in this game we love, there’s nothing else in between. 

As the clock ticked down, JD paused slightly, eyeing Ateneo’s towering Ange Kouame, perhaps the greatest player college basketball in the Philippines has ever seen. The play was set for a pick-and-roll — his favorite dance move on the hardwood. Kouame hesitated from coming out to the perimeter, backing away to guard the rolling Malick Diouf. In an instant, JD stepped back, elevated, launched, and the ball floated, carrying decades of dreams with it.

“Ang nasa isip ko, short eh,” JD recalls. “Nagulat na lang ako na parang naging sobra. Bigla kong nakita si Kouame umatras.”

Splash. Pure pandemonium.

JD had done it. He shattered a 36-year drought with one legendary shot. That night, the quiet boy from Butuan City became the loudest story in Philippine basketball. 

That night, he became immortal.

Off the court, JD is reserved — a watcher, never missing a beat. It’s easy to mistake his silence for pretentiousness, but behind the calm exterior is sharp insight, honed by years spent commanding basketball teams. JD shrugs off the introvert label with a smile. “Hindi ako ma-gala,” he explains with ease. JD prefers home, workouts, FaceTime calls, and quiet reflection. Maybe a game or two of Mobile Legends every now and then, but discipline defines him, even off-court.

JD’s observant nature translates perfectly on the 94-feet hardwood, where nothing slips past his gaze. This quiet mastery earned him the title of State U’s “court general.”

“May mga times talaga na pag nasa pros ka, hindi mo akalain,” he says thoughtfully about his first year overseas. “But it’s up to you kung paano mo iaangat ang sarili mo.”

JD’s journey to glory wasn’t smooth. Born in Butuan, he moved to Manila as a promising teen, carrying dreams and insecurities common to provincial players. At La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), JD etched his first legend — securing their inaugural NCAA Juniors Championship.

When his last high-school game ended in heartbreaking defeat, JD vowed to rewrite that story in Taft. “Hindi ’yon ’yung last time na mag-a-alma mater ako sa La Salle na naka-uniform pa ako,” he says, voice laced with quiet determination.

But Manila’s brightest lights brought shadows, too. JD joined De La Salle University (DLSU) then struggled to find his place behind a loaded guard rotation and a head coach (uhm, remember Jermaine Byrd?) different from the one who recruited him in Louie Gonzales. When word got around that Evan Nelle’s arrival was imminent, JD faced a tough decision: loyalty or growth.

“Mahirap,” he admits, reflecting on leaving La Salle. “Pero di ko naman pwedeng isipin na sila lang — kailangan ko rin isipin ’yung sarili ko.”

He chose growth. He chose a team who needed him as much as he needed them. He chose UP.

With the Fighting Maroons, JD found his tribe — Carl Tamayo, Harold Alarcon, Ricci Rivero, CJ Cansino, Diouf — names etched forever in UP’s now growing legacy. They bonded through the pandemic bubble, their connections transforming awkward teammates into brothers who fought for a common goal.

“Ibang klase ’yung bond namin. Naging involved kami lalo dahil marami kaming problema,” JD recalls, his voice steady and warm. That bond propelled them to a historic championship. Suddenly, he wasn’t alone anymore.

In a memorable anecdote, JD laughs off teammates’ playful frustrations when he, as the point guard, couldn’t get them the ball. “Hindi naman sila nagko-complain — sometimes nagagalit sila, especially pag hindi sila napapasahan,” he jokes, capturing the genuine camaraderie behind championship chemistry.

After two finals losses post-championship, JD faced another crossroad—an overseas opportunity. Then days after reclaiming UAAP glory in Season 87 (2024), he signed with Suwon KT Sonicboom in Korea’s KBL. Alone again, far from home, JD’s battle was internal.

“Pag nasa pro ka abroad, ikaw talaga lahat,” JD admits. Laundry, food, solitude — it’s a mental battle now. “Minsan after a bad game, overthink ka talaga.” Yet he leaned on lessons learned from UP coach Goldwin Monteverde: “When challenges come, you need to overcome them.”

JD didn’t merely survive — he thrived, winning KBL Rookie of the Year. Discipline became his armor.

“Walang nagmo-monitor sa ’yo kung ano gagawin mo after training,” JD notes, highlighting how self-awareness saved him. “So ikaw talaga ’yung kalaban mo.”

In a basketball landscape evolving rapidly, JD represents a new breed. No longer bound solely by dreams of the PBA, Filipino talents now aspire globally. He’s keenly aware he carries his nation’s pride abroad.

Decades ago, there was one well-trodden path for college basketball standouts in the Philippines: five solid UAAP years, a quick nod to the PBL, and then a clear shot at the PBA. This was the blueprint, the unspoken rule every aspiring player followed.

But Cagulangan emerged into a different era. One where the doors aren’t just open — they’ve swung off the hinges entirely.

“When I was in high school, ang mindset talaga was to make it to the PBA,” JD explains, recalling his early dreams in Butuan and later Manila. But the world shifted, and with it, young athletes’ ambitions began to soar beyond local leagues.

“Now, playing overseas is part of the plan — part of life,” JD emphasizes. He pauses, considering the weight of his words. “You’ll see everyone practicing, working on their skills, building their physical strength, all preparing to go overseas. It’s everyone’s goal.”

He points to his peers —Tamayo, RJ Abarrientos, SJ Belangel — who’ve become trailblazers in this new wave of global Filipino basketball talent. Their success stories created a ripple effect, rewriting the traditional narrative.

JD offers a grounded perspective on the controversial topic of financial allowances and perks given to college athletes today. He firmly believes schools are right to invest in their athletes’ lives and futures, especially when many players hail from humble backgrounds.

“Most players here — especially sa Philippines — galing probinsya talaga,” JD says earnestly. “And life doon, hindi ganoon kaganda compared to Manila. Kaya sobrang na-appreciate ko ’yung schools na nagbibigay ng benefits kasi gusto nila tulungan ’yung pamilya nung players. Para maka-perform sila nang mas mabuti, lalo na para sa school nila.”

JD isn’t just living proof of these words — he’s their champion. He took the leap overseas not out of selfish ambition but from an innate understanding of the opportunities now available, ones he feels every young Filipino athlete deserves.

In Korea, JD proudly showcases the unique style of Filipino basketball. “Hindi ko iniisip na pinapasan ko Pilipinas,” he insists modestly. “Mas gusto ko lang ipakita ’yung galing ng Pinoy. Kaya kami kinuha ng ibang bansa eh — para makita kung paano kami maglaro.”

He’s part of a movement. His idols — undersized yet elite point guards like Belangel and Abarrientos — are proof height is no barrier to greatness.

“Ang pinaka-importante ’yung puso,” JD stresses passionately. “’Yung height, wala ’yon.”

At our shoot in Poblacion, JD shifts effortlessly between stylish suits — suave and self-assured, yet humble. Behind each poised portrait is a glimpse into his complex layers — thoughtful, driven, charismatic. He quietly charms the room without overwhelming it. JD embodies old-school masculinity; confident yet gracious, humble yet aware.

Although when he lets his guard down, JD reveals depth. “Hindi naman masama na maging down ka ng one night — panibagong araw naman,” he says wisely, echoing the grit that’s carried him this far.

Throughout his collegiate career, JD faced formidable rivals — Ateneo’s Belangel and Kouame, La Salle’s Michael Phillips and Kevin Quiambao. Each opponent sharpened him. JD respected their brilliance, calling those battles “parehas lang mahirap.”

Yet he always sought redemption. After Season 86’s heartbreaking loss to La Salle, JD evolved. His mindset, discipline, and focus transformed him. He let go of off-court distractions. He focused on the relationships that would help him achieve his goals. There were countless of hours with Patrick Tancioco, his trainer at Better Basketball PH. Stepbacks, footwork, floaters, layups, defense, visualization, and mental preparation. Season 87 marked JD’s zenith — leading UP to another title, hitting a dagger against his former team, and crowned Finals MVP.

He admits his Season 84 winning shot felt unreal — but spontaneous celebration revealed his pure joy. “Lahat ng pinaghirapan mo, lumabas,” he remembers vividly. That’s JD in essence — hard work meeting destiny. Or as some people in UP will call him, “The Child of Destiny.”

As our interview wraps, JD shares his personal side — minimalist, family-centered, basketball-obsessed. When his teammates went to Revel in Bonifacio Global City after ending Ateneo’s nearly-invincible dynasty, he opted for a simple dinner with his parents. No nightlife, no hobbies — just hoops and home.

But the basketball court has always been JD’s stage for storytelling. Every dribble, every clutch shot, every setback is a page in his extraordinary tale. As Cagulangan prepares for another KBL season, the narrative remains unfinished.

He leaves one message for young talents dreaming beyond hometown courts: “Hindi niyo malalaman hangga’t di niyo nasusubukan. Try lang nang try, kahit mahirap.”

JD Cagulangan didn’t just try — he conquered. Now the story continues, from Diliman to Korea and beyond, guided by discipline, resilience, and quiet mastery.

The general’s journey marches on, and we’re all lucky enough to watch him command the stage.