Philippine women's hoops pillar Animam 'super happy' with WNBA's increasing accessibility to Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines – When Gilas Pilipinas women mainstay Jack Animam was young, she had no idea about the WNBA or of any women’s basketball tournament.

In fact, she grew up thinking that basketball was a men’s sport — something that almost stopped her from even trying the sport she eventually learned to love and excel at. But now, things have changed. 

Women’s basketball has grown exponentially all around the globe and in the Philippines. Unlike Animam, more Filipinas see themselves playing on the basketball court with pro leagues like the WNBA and international competitions like FIBA women’s tournaments now made available to the Philippine audience.

On Sunday, Buffalo Wild Wings at Estancia was filled to the brim with women’s basketball enthusiasts who were glued to the screen as the most-watched WNBA All-Star Game ever happened in Phoenix. 

Toting clappers and face cutouts of the All-Stars, members of the Philippine women’s basketball community — including Animam — cheered on the women’s basketball’s best from across the globe.

After the match, which Team WNBA won 117-109, Animam reflected on how much the sport has grown for women both internationally and here in the Philippines.

“Syempre [I’m] super happy kasi you know, dati we were just dreaming of na sana may something for us in women’s basketball [dito]. But now, slowly, and talagang paangat nang paangat yung women’s basketball dito sa Pilipinas,” Animam said of the event organized by NBA Philippines and Tap DMV. 

“I mean, look at the national team; from seniors team na you know we really have to work our way up and now meron nang youth teams, may U16, may U18, and all the teams are in Division A [now].”

There was a part of Animam that reflected on what could’ve been and should’ve been during her formative years in the sport, as things have slowly but surely gotten better for women basketball players in the Philippines.

But more than focusing on regrets, Animam accepted that she was set on a different path by fate. 

“You know, looking back, I wish[ed na]sana ako din at that age, no, nakapaglaro ako non. But, I feel like I have a bigger task which is you know, na all the hard work that we put into those