As a young boy, I always hoped and dreamt of seeing the very first Filipino play in the NBA; all I heard were rumors that a certain Johnny Abbarientos was being scouted, but unfortunately, it still remains a dream up until now.
Having seen Kevin Quiambao aka KQ play for the green and the white in the UAAP, I was in awe with his skillset and his basketball IQ, I mean that with no pun intended, especially since I root for the rival school that wears the blue and white.
When I got an invite to attend the pre-release of Kevin Quiambao’s signature shoe, the very first Filipino to ever have one under Adidas, I had no hesitations since this was very historical and this is not only under the Adizero line, but it’s called the Adizero Select 3.0 “KQ63”. A very bold and meaningful collaboration between Kevin Quiambao and internationally renowned toy designer and streetwear artist Quiccs.
The “KQ63” colorway features a striking neon pink base with crisp white stripes, merging KQ’s favorite color to wear on-court with Quiccs’ signature street-meets-mecha aesthetic. The design is rich with personal touches, including custom logos and illustrations of both KQ and Quiccs on the heels and insoles—symbols of national pride and creative synergy.
The event was held at the Clubhouse at the Palace in BGC last of June 4, 2025, Adidas Country Manager Dave Sexton opened with this to say, “What an evening to celebrate the very first designed by a Filipino, for a Filipino, Adidas shoe—EVER! So I’d like to give a big congratulations to all the teams involved, Quiccs, of course! KQ is involved, the team—this takes a lot of hearts and minds to get these things done, so a big congratulations for getting this across the line!”
The crowd in attendance gave a warm reception to the men of the hour, Kevin Quiambao and Quiccs as they took the spotlight and gave their thoughts on the collaboration. “Very special itong collaboration na ito for me, for the very first time, I’m able to design a shoe for a Filipino talent, a really great basketball player in Kevin Quiambao!”, Quiccs excitedly shared. He then added, “Neon pink ang pinili niya (referring to Quiambao), a very bright future for the youth, for us to be an inspiration to them na ready na ang Pilipinas for the world stage!”
Kevin Quiambao was then asked about what he felt when he found out that Houston Rockets guard rocked the KQ63 in the Filipino Heritage Night, “Confidence booster for me yun knowing that Jalen Green rocked the shoes, I hope i-rock ko din siya soon sa NBA!”
That statement gave me goosebumps and like the others in attendance, I cheered on and clapped because I believe Kevin Quiambao’s dream of playing in the NBA is within his reach and he has what it takes to make it on basketball’s biggest stage.
KQ, YOU GOT THIS!!!
