Phoenix Super LPG has appointed long-time assistant coach Willy Wilson as its new head coach heading to PBA Season 50.
The Fuel Masters made the announcement of their coaching change official through their social media account on Friday.
The 45-year-old Wilson, who played 14 years in the PBA before retiring at the end of the 2017-18 season, joined the Phoenix coaching staff in 2020.
Selected 14th overall in the 2005 PBA Draft by Alaska, Wilson is taking over the coaching spot from Jamike Jarin, who has been named as team consultant.
“Management believes that coach Willy will be a good fit for the team as it continues to pursue more success in Season 50,” Phoenix posted on its Facebook page.
“In line with this, Jamike Jarin has been assigned as team consultant moving forward. Coach Willy has been part of the Phoenix roster as a player since 2016, before moving up to coaching staff in 2020 as an assistant,” the team added in explaining its new coaching move.
“His experience both as player and coach will be an instrumental tool as he steers the best out of the Fuel Masters in the coming season.”
The former La Salle Green Archer has played for five PBA teams in his career.
He started with Alaska, followed by San Miguel, Ginebra, where he won his only championship as a player in the 2008 Fiesta Conference, before playing for Barako Bull and Phoenix heading to the final years of his career.
Jarin served as Phoenix’s coach for the last two seasons, where he compiled an aggregate 21-28 win-loss record, which included the franchise to a semifinal appearance in the Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup.
