# Zaldy Realubit

Zaldy Realubit (born February 18, 1967) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player who is the current chief operating officer of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. He also was the head coach of the Pilipinas Aguilas.

## College and amateur career

Realubit hails from Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. He completed his high school at the Northwestern Agusan College but it was at the University of San Jose–Recoletos where he got hooked into basketball under coach Yayoy Alcoseba. Realubit went on to play for Mama's Love in the Philippine Basketball League (PABL) from 1984 to 1985 and RFM-Swifts in his final two years in the amateur league and has blossomed into a fine center.

## Professional career
### Presto

Realubit turned professional in 1989 when he was drafted by Presto Ice Cream with the 3rd pick. He played a key role in the franchise' sixth and final championship during the 1990 PBA All-Filipino Conference Finals. Realubit's performance earned him a berth for the all-pro Philippine team to the 1990 Asian Games as a replacement for Jerry Codiñera.

### Swift / Sunkist

After Presto's disbandment at the end of the 1992 PBA season, Realubit moved to newcomer Sta. Lucia Realtors but was traded along with Vergel Meneses to Swift in the following conference. His stint with Swift was highly successful, culminating in Realubit winning three championships with the team, and playing there for six years.

### Tanduay / FedEx

During the 2000 Governors' Cup, Realubit was traded to the Tanduay Rhum Masters in exchange for two second-round picks. In his debut with Tanduay, he made the game-winning follow-up basket in their match against the defending champions San Miguel Beermen. He then followed it up by scoring a career-high 12 points to go along with 13 rebounds in their next win, and was rewarded with a Player of the Week award.

### Purefoods

After leaving FedEx, he signed with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs for the 2004–05 season. He played 14 games for the franchise, and retired thereafter.

## International career

Realubit first played for the national team in 1986, when he played under coach Joe Lipa. He made it to the RP youth team in early 1987 that placed second to China in the ABC Youth championships held in Manila and sooner with the Philippine men's national team that same year. Realubit also played for the Philippines in the 1990 Asian Games, where they won the silver medal behind China.

## Coaching career

Realubit first ventured into coaching after he was selected to coach the Pacquiao Powervit Pilipinas Aguilas that would compete in the 2015–16 ABL season. His stint with the team did not last long, after he resigned just barely two weeks after the season started. He said internal problems, like unpaid wages and player treatment, within the team led to his resignation.

## PBA career statistics
### Season-by-season averages

| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1989 | Presto | 50 | 18.1 | .514 | — | .657 | 6.1 | .3 | .1 | 1.1 | 7.6 |
| 1990 | Presto | 63 | 21.1 | .547 | — | .606 | 6.2 | .4 | .1 | .5 | 6.0 |
| 1991 | Presto / Tivoli | 46 | 30.5 | .553 | .000 | .640 | 8.8 | .7 | .1 | 1.2 | 9.2 |
| 1992 | Presto | 40 | — | .525 | — | .707 | 7.2 | .7 | .1 | 1.0 | 8.6 |
| 1993 | Sta. Lucia | 22 | 32.6 | .560 | — | .591 | 11.1 | 1.1 | .1 | .6 | 9.0 |
| 1993 | Swift | 48 | 24.8 | .560 | — | .577 | 5.7 | .7 | .1 | .6 | 7.1 |
| 1994 | Swift | 64 | 21.5 | .493 | .667 | .646 | 5.0 | .5 | .1 | .5 | 5.6 |
| 1995 | Sunkist | 71 | 18.8 | .538 | .250 | .760 | 4.7 | .4 | .1 | .5 | 5.0 |
| 1996 | Sunkist | 38 | 30.1 | .604 | .000 | .652 | 7.9 | .4 | .2 | .9 | 9.6 |
| 1997 | Pop Cola | 38 | 27.8 | .600 | .000 | .722 | 6.2 | .8 | .2 | .7 | 7.8 |
| 1998 | Pop Cola | 50 | 17.6 | .566 | .000 | .587 | 3.6 | .6 | .1 | .4 | 4.7 |
| 1999 | Pop Cola | 18 | 23.9 | .404 | — | .500 | 5.0 | 1.3 | .2 | .5 | 4.4 |
| 2000 | Pop Cola | 36 | 19.5 | .321 | .000 | .643 | 4.1 | .4 | .0 | .3 | 2.7 |
| 2000 | Tanduay | 36 | 19.5 | .321 | .000 | .643 | 4.1 | .4 | .0 | .3 | 2.7 |
| 2001 | Tanduay | 34 | 23.8 | .497 | — | .656 | 4.5 | .5 | .2 | .3 | 5.2 |
| 2002 | FedEx | 18 | 11.1 | .171 | .143 | .733 | 2.3 | .3 | .0 | .2 | 1.4 |
| 2004–05 | Purefoods | 14 | 5.9 | .294 | — | .500 | 1.2 | .1 | .0 | .2 | .9 |
| Career | Career | 650 | 21.1 | .528 | .174 | .650 | 5.7 | .5 | .1 | .6 | 6.2 |