MANILA, Philippines — Sure, the fans went home happy seeing the Golden State Warriors’ Finals MVP slam the basketball and splash it home a couple of times.
There were the Nike All-Stars, who went back to their homes as winners in a showcase before thousands.
Nike All Stars def. @KDTrey5 and the Hyper Court selection, 85-82. #KDinMNL pic.twitter.com/JiaUOf8Bb4
— Denison Rey Dalupang (@sonrd) July 8, 2018
But none could come close to Ateneo Blue Eagles’ Matt Nieto, who got to take home a memorabilia he’s going to cherish over time.
Playing for the winning team in the culmination of Kevin Durant’s promotional tour with Nike on Sunday night, the UAAP champion guard was just an arm’s distance from the NBA cager’s dunk. With the Olympian going down from the rim, his cap — which he wore for the duration of his interaction with fans and the press — came off.
Nieto, as any fan would, picked it up. He put it on his head as the game went on. And he never had to hand it back to the former NBA Most Valuable Player.