11-year-old Filipino hooper turns heads in Korea

OVERSEAS STINT. Kael Mabulac during his stint for the Busan KCC Aegis in the Korean Basketball League Youth.

Mori Mabulac Facebook page

Kael Mabulac, the son of former PBA player Michael Mabulac, continues to carve out a name for himself after an impressive run in the Korean Basketball League Youth, where he represents KCC Busan Egis

AT A GLANCE

• Kael Mabulac, an 11-year-old basketball player and son of former PBA player Michael Mabulac, has quickly gained recognition in the sport, recently competing in the Korean Basketball League Youth.
• He excelled in the under-11 division, leading in points, rebounds, and blocks, and helped his team reach the semifinals, showcasing his talent despite starting basketball only two years ago.
• In addition to his athletic achievements, Kael is a high-performing student, balancing academics and sports while aspiring to play professionally and compete in international tournaments.

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MANILA, Philippines – It has only been two years since Kael Mabulac began taking basketball seriously, yet his budding career has already taken him overseas.

The 11-year-old son of former PBA player Michael Mabulac continues to carve out a name for himself, turning heads with an impressive performance in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) Youth.

In July, Kael was one of only five Junior Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) players selected to represent Busan KCC Egis in the KBL Youth, alongside Josh Cruz, Kenan Picazo, Jaiden Dimalanta, and Cholo Evangelista across different age categories.

Kael showed why he deserved the spot, leading the under-11 division in points (12.8), rebounds (9.4), and blocks (1.6) while ranking second in steals (2.6).

Kael steered the under-11 team of KCC, one of the most storied KBL franchises with a record-tying seven championships, to an unbeaten 4-0 run in the preliminary stage before it fell narrowly to eventual champions Seoul SK Knights in the semifinals.

“I was surprised and I was really happy because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to play internationally even though I’m still young,” Kael told Rappler in Filipino. 

Natural talent

Although Kael grew up around basketball, his father Michael — a Jose Rizal University standout who won three PBA championships with San Miguel and now plays for Biñan Tatak Gel in the MPBL — did not expect him to pursue the sport at such a young age.

In fact, Kael only started playing basketball in 2024, when a club competing in the City Hoops Basketball League needed a 2015-born player to complete its roster.

Michael said he was initially hesitant to let his son play, particularly because Kael had yet to receive any formal training.

“I was worried that he might embarrass himself because he had no training,” said Michael. “He might do all sorts of things — did he even know the rules of basketball? I was even thinking that he might end up shooting at the opposing team’s basket.” 

But Kael held his own, and before long, he began outperforming his more experienced teammates. 

“At first, I just watched daddy, and then I saw that playing seemed exciting and fun. I liked it too and it became something I did every day,” said Kael. 

Seeing potential in his son, Michael eventually decided to put Kael through formal training — a decision that paid off as the younger Mabulac drew interest from several schools, including La Salle Green Hills, Xavier, Angelicum, La Salle Zobel, Mapua, and NU.

It also helps that Kael has a professional basketball player as a father, with Michael providing valuable advice that allows him to shake off bad habits and develop a more disciplined approach to the game.

“After every practice, I correct him. I tell him, ‘This is what you’re doing right and this is what you’re doing wrong.’ I think that’s one of his advantages, that his learning does not end in practice,” said Mabulac. 

Young achiever

It did not take long for Kael to stand out, regularly posting triple-doubles and double-doubles across various leagues. One of his most notable performances came in the under-11 final of the Batang PBA, where he scored 45 points to lead Magnolia to the title.

Kael also earned back-to-back Most Valuable Player honors in his age division in the Junior MPBL Pocket League.

But it is not only in sports where Kael thrives.

According to his mother, Mori, Kael is also a consistent honor student at Lourdes School Quezon City, having finished fifth grade with high honors.

“He also qualifies for an academic scholarship. He’s already a scholar as a varsity player, but he also qualifies as an academic scholar. That makes me even more proud because he’s able to do both,” said Mori. 

For Michael and Mori, it is important to let Kael enjoy being a child rather than push him too hard, allowing him to have fun, explore his interests, and develop at his own pace while balancing basketball and academics.

“When he doesn’t want to play or practice, I let him. He’s still a kid,” said Michael. 

Big dreams

Like his idol, Gilas Pilipinas and Goyang Sono Skygunners star Kevin Quiambao, Kael dreams of playing professional basketball in the KBL. He also wants to compete in the Olympics and FIBA competitions.

Standing at 5-foot-6 and already possessing an all-around game, Kael appears to be on the right track, with KCC showing interest in him after a bone age assessment indicated promising growth potential.

According to Michael, Kael underwent the assessment in Korea and is projected to reach a height of up to 6-foot-7.

“I’m always asked what I want to be when I grow up. I always say that I want to play basketball. They ask me if there’s anything else I want to do, but I tell them, that’s really the only thing I want,” said Kael. 

Michael, who knows the basketball scene all too well after spending more than a decade as a pro, believes that Kael can go as far as his perseverance will take him. 

“I’m here to simply to guide him. I tell him, ‘You’re already lucky — you have the height and you already have scholarship opportunities.’ Hard work is the only thing he needs to add,” said Michael. 

As Kael continues to climb the ranks and attract more attention, Mori hopes he remains grounded, reminding him that his career and talent can be taken away in an instant if he gets too full of himself.

Kael vows not to let that happen.

“I’ll always listen to them and follow their advice so I can continue to improve in both academics and sports and achieve my dreams when I grow up,” Kael said. – Rappler.com