Kobe Paras hailed MVP in Taiwan BLIA Cup

FILE: “It takes a lot of strength & courage to keep it these days.” (Photo: @_kokoparas/Instagram)

After leading his team to the championship title, which included a 37-point performance during the championship game, 21- year-old Kobe Paras is hailed Most Valuable Player (MVP) during the 2019 Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Cup in Taiwan last Sunday, July 21. 

The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroon averaged 19.6 points per game during the team’s undefeated run, where they obtained a five-game winning streak. During the finals, the Fighting Maroons won by four points against the Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology. Kobe was also part of the tournament’s All-BLIA Cup team with teammate Bright Akhuetie, who is the current University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) MVP.

In accepting the award, the six-foot-six forward dedicated the MVP trophy to his mother, posting to his 676,000 followers on Instagram, “This is for you, Mama.” The young basketball star’s mother, Jackie Foster, responded by posting the same image to her 373,000 followers captioned, “Landed in Manila at 4:20 am to this. So proud of and happy for you, Kobe. You’ve worked so hard for this, my love,” even calling herself a “proud Mama.” 

After short stints at the University of California Los Angeles, California State Northridge, and Creighton University, Paras will be following the footsteps of his father and will also be participating as a Fighting Maroon in the upcoming 82nd season of the UAAP.

Less than a week ago, Paras took to Instagram to talk about his trials and victories in the industry, sharing, “I am not afraid to admit my mistakes cause I know at the end of the day I’m just a human being. A human being who is still trying to understand his purpose in this world. I’m not perfect. Not even close to it. I’ve messed up so much in my life. Messed up relationships, messed up opportunities.”

He added, “But hey that’s how you learn in this world. Life is all about balance. You can’t have everything. I may have lost myself a few times but I’m not afraid to admit that I have to change for the best.”