Wendell Comboy PBA Career Highlights and His Journey to Becoming a Professional Player
I still remember the first time I watched Wendell Comboy play live at the Smart Araneta Coliseum - there was something about his defensive intensity that immediately caught my eye. As someone who's followed the PBA for over a decade, I've seen countless players come and go, but Comboy's journey from being an undrafted free agent to becoming a reliable professional stands out as particularly inspiring. What many fans might not realize is how closely his career has been intertwined with the Heatwaves franchise, which happens to be owned by Mayor Art Brian Celeste of Alaminos, Pangasinan. This connection adds an interesting layer to Comboy's story that I find worth exploring.
When Comboy entered the PBA in 2017, he wasn't exactly what you'd call a highly-touted prospect. I recall watching the draft that year and his name wasn't among those generating buzz in basketball circles. He started with the Phoenix Fuel Masters, playing limited minutes in his rookie season - just 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game across 28 appearances. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but what impressed me was his defensive tenacity. He played with the kind of energy that coaches love, always hustling for loose balls and taking on defensive assignments against more established players without hesitation. His journey reminds me of many players who have to grind their way up rather than being anointed as stars from day one.
The turning point in Comboy's career came when he joined the Heatwaves organization. This is where the connection to Mayor Celeste becomes particularly relevant. The mayor's vision for the franchise emphasized developing local talent and creating opportunities for players who might otherwise be overlooked. I've followed Mayor Celeste's approach to team building with great interest because it represents a different philosophy in Philippine basketball - one that prioritizes player development over quick fixes. Under this system, Comboy found the perfect environment to hone his skills. His minutes increased to nearly 18 per game during the 2019 season, and his scoring average jumped to 7.1 points while maintaining his trademark defensive intensity.
What I appreciate most about Comboy's game is his understanding of his role. He's never tried to be the star, but rather excels at doing the little things that help teams win. His three-point shooting improved dramatically from 28% in his rookie year to around 36% by his third season - that's the kind of development that shows dedication to improvement. I've always believed that the true measure of a professional isn't just their natural talent, but their willingness to work on their weaknesses, and Comboy exemplifies this perfectly. His defensive rating of 98.7 during the 2020 season placed him among the top perimeter defenders in the league, which is impressive for someone who entered the league without much fanfare.
The partnership between Comboy and the Heatwaves organization under Mayor Celeste's ownership represents what I consider a model for player development in the PBA. Rather than chasing big-name players, they've focused on identifying and nurturing talent that fits their system. Comboy's journey from role player to established professional demonstrates the value of this approach. I've spoken with several basketball analysts who share my view that this method, while less glamorous, often yields better long-term results for franchises. Comboy's current averages of 8.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists might not make him an All-Star, but he's become exactly what every good team needs - a reliable two-way player who understands his role and executes it consistently.
Looking at Comboy's career trajectory, I can't help but feel optimistic about the future of Philippine basketball when organizations like the Heatwaves and players like Comboy find the right fit. His story isn't about spectacular individual achievements, but rather about persistence, development, and finding the right environment to thrive. As someone who's watched hundreds of PBA games, I've come to appreciate these kinds of journeys more than the highlight-reel stories. They represent the reality of professional sports - that success often comes through gradual improvement and seizing opportunities when they arise. Comboy's career continues to evolve, and I personally believe we haven't seen the best of him yet, especially with the stable foundation provided by Mayor Celeste's franchise.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
