WITHOUT any transition period, PBA icon Lewis Alfred (LA) Tenorio has officially stepped into a new chapter of his journey, having been named the new head coach of the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots.
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) didn’t have to search far to find a successor for Magnolia’s long-time mentor Chito Victolero, turning to one of the league’s most accomplished point guards to take the reins.
SMC Sports Director Alfrancis Chua stated that Tenorio’s appointment wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment call. It was largely influenced by the Ginebra legend’s sharp basketball intellect and his impressive stint as Gilas Youth coach.
“This was planned a month ago or a week ago, talking to LA, ‘yung taong ‘yun, biniro ko siya after winning the gold sa SEABA, I said pwede ka na,” Chua said on Monday. “Doon nag-umpisa yun. Everybody knows he’s a very intelligent guy, very smart, team leader.”
A New Era Begins?
According to a report from Tiebreaker Times, Tenorio is set to attend his first team practice on August 4. With this, he officially closes the chapter on his playing career after 19 seasons in Asia’s oldest professional basketball league.
The 41-year-old floor general walks away with a decorated career that includes eight PBA championships, four Finals MVP awards, and a Best Player of the Conference accolade from the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup.
Even so, the road ahead won’t be easy, as Magnolia is in need of a fresh direction. During Victolero’s nine-year run as head coach, the team only captured one championship — the 2018 Governors’ Cup — with most other campaigns falling short of expectations.
Photo Courtesy: Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
“You know, we’re not expecting that much, bago palang si LA eh. But for sure, he’ll be good as a head coach,” Chua said, trying to minimize the expectation that Tenorio could turn things around immediately for Magnolia.
“Ang daming nagtatanong, baka bata pa, sabi ko hindi na bata kaya nga hindi na… 40 na eh, hindi na maglalaro. He was excited when I called him. Sabi ko naka-decide na kami na magko-coach siya sa Magnolia,” he added.
Meanwhile, SMC Sports Director Alfrancis Chua is prepared to give Tenorio as much leeway as needed should he choose to make changes to the current coaching staff. For Chua, it’s only natural for a coach to bring in people he trusts.
“Kapag may dala si LA na tatlo, dalawa, isa, o apat na assistant coaches, we need to observe, and then baka may kailangan tayong alisin. Dahil kung hindi natin aalisin isang basketball team na ‘yun,” he said.
“Parang piloto lang ‘yan. Syempre ang mga piloto gusto nila ‘yung nasa kanan nila, assistant nila, pinagkakatiwalaan nila. Knowing LA, I think he’s gonna bring his assistant coaches and coaching staff,” he added.
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Though the announcement came as a surprise due to how quickly Tenorio transitioned to a new role, his former teammate and Gilas Pilipinas star Justin Brownlee remains thrilled for him — even if they’ll now be on opposite sides of the court.
“I just heard that, I can’t believe that, man. But like what I told earlier when I was told of the news, to be honest, my nine years in the Philippines playing for Ginebra, I feel like LA has been my second coach on the floor,” Brownlee said.
“Obviously, Magnolia is Ginebra’s biggest rival and yeah, I can’t wait to see what Manila Clasico is gonna be like, especially with LA now on the other side,” he added.
With this move now official, the league and the entire Barangay Ginebra faithful may have witnessed the final glimpse of Tenorio’s brilliance during his clutch showing in Game 6 of the 2025 Philippine Cup semifinals.
A player of his caliber certainly deserved a farewell tour, but Tenorio—along with the SMC camp—had different plans, choosing instead to immediately put his sharp basketball mind to work as a full-fledged head coach.
