MANILA — One of the UAAP’s promising young guards is heading to a new home as Negrense playmaker Dylan Despi has officially transferred from the University of the East to the University of Santo Tomas, bolstering the Growling Tigers’ long-term backcourt plans ahead of UAAP Season 90.
The move was confirmed by Dylan’s father, St. Joseph School-La Salle Bacolod head coach Yong Despi, who said his son chose to join a more competitive program to accelerate his development as a player.
“It was really Dylan who made the decision (to move to UST). He just consulted me about it,” Yong told Panay News on Tuesday. “I told him that if he stayed at UE, all the opportunities would still be there for him. But as a player, his growth might remain the same.”
“You might end up becoming comfortable with that kind of situation (with the Red Warriors), and the competitive drive starts to lose its importance,” he added. “And that drive is important for players like him who have big dreams.”
Under UAAP transfer rules, Despi will serve a mandatory one-year residency and will become eligible to suit up for the Growling Tigers in Season 90 in 2027, with two playing years remaining.
The transfer also marks a homecoming of sorts for the Bacolod native, who originally committed to the UST Tiger Cubs in 2023 after emerging as one of the top high school prospects from Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
Despi, however, eventually enrolled at UE, where he joined head coach Chris Gavina’s rebuilding Red Warriors squad in UAAP Season 88.
Despite UE’s struggles, the young guard showed flashes of his potential, highlighted by a standout performance against UST in which he tallied 17 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.
UST is expected to groom Despi as part of its future core as it seeks to reinforce its point guard rotation following the graduation of Rence Padrigao and Kyle Paranada./PN
