KG Canaleta

Professional career

PBA

He made a serious run for the Rookie of the Year honors with an impressive Philippine Cup campaign where he averaged 16.2 points per game, No. 1 among rookies and seventh in the tournament among locals. But a so-so performance in the Fiesta Conference and two finals stints of Red Bull made Larry Fonacier a no-brainer for the award.

Canaleta is undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions in the league with his jaw-dropping, never-seen slams by a local player. Canaleta was a back-to-back-to-back winner of the Slam Dunk competition, both by convincing fashion. He was ranked no. 2 in scoring among rookies during his rookie year with 9.4 points per outing. Canaleta was the first Philippine Basketball Association player to become a 5-time PBA Slam Dunk Champion. On 2011 PBA All-Star Weekend, he dunked on 3 men in the final round against Kelly Williams to win his 4th PBA Slam Dunk Champion Award. On 2012, Canaleta did it again after dunking on 3-men, including 6-foot-9 Asi Taulava to win his 5th Slam Dunk Award.

He was also awarded by the PBA to be the Mr. Quality Minutes Player in 2010.

On December 5, 2012, Canaleta scored a career-high 41 points in their 112-93 win against GlobalPort Batang Pier. Canaleta was named the PBA Press Corps' Player of the Week for the period April 8–14, 2013 after dropping 37 points anchored on 9-18 shooting from 3-point land in their come-from-behind win over Petron, 95-91.

On January 20, 2014, Canaleta was traded by Air21 to Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters for Sean Anthony, Eliud Poligrates, and a 2016 first-round pick.

On October 9, 2014, Canaleta was traded from Talk 'N Text to NLEX in a three-team trade that involved Blackwater Elite.

On August 25, 2015, Canaleta was traded by NLEX to Mahindra Enforcer in a three-team trade that also involved Talk 'N Text.

On March 29, Canaleta was traded to the Blackwater Elite in exchange for Dylan Ababou and James Forrester.

On January 10, 2018, while playing for the Meralco Bolts, Canaleta became the 87th member of the elite 5,000 points club, 83rd among locals, in the Bolts 103-98 loss to the Alaska Aces.

On October 25, 2019, Canaleta, along with Mike Tolomia and two second round draft picks in 2020 and 2022, was traded to the Blackwater Elite for Allein Maliksi and Raymar Jose. This was his second stint with the Elite.

Taiwan

On March 19, 2022, Canaleta signed with Taichung Wagor Suns of the T1 League. On December 20, Canaleta signed with Taichung Suns of the T1 League as assistant coach. On December 23, Taichung Suns registered Canaleta as import player. On February 10, 2023, Taichung Suns cancelled the registration of Canaleta's playership.

PBA career statistics

As of the end of 2021 season

Season-by-season averages

|- | 52 || 21.0 || .388 || .304 || .707 || 3.8 || .6 || .3 || .3 || 9.4 |- | 41 || 25.8 || .395 || .331 || .703 || 5.8 || .8 || .4 || .7 || 11.9 |- | 50 || 23.5 || .397 || .332 || .681 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .5 || .6 || 10.4

Awards

• Mr. Quality Minutes Award (2010)
• Five-time PBA Slam Dunk Champion (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012)
• PBA All Rookie First Team (2005–2006)
• Scored a record 38 Points in the PBA Rookie Game
• 2013 PBA Most Improved Player

References

References

1. de Leon, Job. (December 6, 2012). "Canaleta drops career-high 41 to carry Air 21 past GlobalPort". PBA-Online.net.
2. Dy, Richard. (April 15, 2013). "Player of the Week Canaleta happy to prove he's more than just a freak show". Sports Interactive Network Philippines.
3. (January 20, 2014). "PBA: Talk 'N Text acquires KG Canaleta from Air21". [[GMA News and Public Affairs]].
4. [http://www.philstar.com/sports/2014/10/09/1378275/alas-heads-tnt-3-team-trade-deal Alas heads TnT 3 team trade deal], philstar.net, Retrieved October 9, 2014
5. Joble, Rey. (August 25, 2015). "Talk 'N Text lands No.2 pick Troy Rosario from Mahindra in 3-team trade". InterAksyon.
6. (August 26, 2015). "PBA Trade: Rosario shipped to Talk 'N Text in three-team deal; Ginebra acquires Nico Salva". [[CNN Philippines]].
7. "KG Canaleta finds consolation in joining PBA 5,000-point club despite Meralco loss to Alaska".
8. (11 January 2018). "KG Cañaleta enters elite 5000-point club".
9. Lozada, Bong. (October 25, 2019). "Maliksi to Meralco trade approved; Blackwater gets Tolomia, Canaleta".
10. (March 19, 2022). "有何喬登還不夠 太陽再找第2亞洲外援尼奧". China Times.
11. (December 20, 2022). "Facebook Post".
12. (December 23, 2022). "2022.12.23聯盟公告". T1 League.
13. (February 10, 2023). "2023.02.10聯盟公告". T1 League.
14. {{usurped
15. [https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Nino-Canaleta/Summary/40305#International] Real GM