Terrence Romeo knows what it takes to turn collegiate stardom into a lasting professional career.
His message to the next generation of PBA prospects is simple: Identify your weaknesses before they become liabilities.
A former UAAP MVP and Gilas Pilipinas standout, Romeo was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2013 PBA Rookie Draft by the GlobalPort Batang Pier after starring for Far Eastern University.
He made his name with explosive scoring, elite ball-handling and electrifying shotmaking, winning the UAAP Season 76 MVP award after averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
That offensive brilliance carried over to the professional ranks, where Romeo became a three-time PBA champion, a Finals MVP and a three-time scoring champion.
But even with his scoring ability, the now-34-year-old guard learned that he could not afford to be a liability on the defensive end. It was a weakness he recognized during his final year in college, when opposing teams began targeting him on defense.
That experience shaped the advice he now gives graduating collegiate players and incoming PBA prospects.
Romeo wants prospects not to rely solely on what they already do well. Instead, he says, they must work on the parts of their game that need improvement.
"First of all, they need to know their weaknesses," Romeo told ESPN. "Your strengths alone are not enough at the pro level. My advice to all graduating players is to identify the areas they need to improve.
"That will be a big factor in their professional careers or whatever their next journey in basketball may be. If they know their weaknesses, they will be able to elevate their games. It's that simple."
At FEU, Romeo's offensive responsibilities gave him more room to focus on scoring, sometimes at the expense of his defense. But being exposed on that end of the floor in the UAAP became a wake-up call.
Improving his defensive awareness and effort became crucial to his early PBA success and eventual inclusion in the Gilas Pilipinas program from 2015 to 2018, when he was the national team's ever-reliable sixth man.
Romeo was never known as a lockdown defender, but he worked to become more dependable on that end. That development helped him contribute to championship-winning teams such as TNT and San Miguel.
He believes every prospect must make similar adjustments before taking the next step as early as now.
"Whatever weaknesses you have in college, you need to address them before turning pro," Romeo told ESPN.
"For example, if you're a big man in college, you may need to improve your ball-handling to succeed in the PBA. If you're a pure point guard, you need to become an offensive threat and an effective scorer at the next level."
For Romeo, versatility is essential to surviving the demands of professional basketball, whether in the PBA or in other Asian leagues.
"The fewer weaknesses you have, the better your chances of becoming a professional player and sustaining a long career," he said.
"The level of competition in the pros is different, not just in the PBA but also in other countries like Korea and Japan. If these players can improve their weaknesses, it will be easier for them to compete overseas."
With just two months remaining before the PBA Draft, Romeo hopes the incoming class features more versatile, well-rounded players who can raise the standard of professional basketball in the Philippines.
"I want to see more than one-dimensional players," he said.
"Players should be able to work on all aspects of their game to be better and remain on the pro level for a long time. I hope they get to make a living in being the best version of themselves moving forward."