A couple of years ago, Jared Dillinger and a few Ginebra players engaged in a Twitter exchange that started with the former expressing his dislike for the Gin Kings in a post on the social media platform.
"That one was tough. Hats off to TNT for sticking it out. Beat Ginebra. I can't stand those guys," he said in a tweet on June 9. 2017 after Meralco lost to TNT in the PBA Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals. The Kings also beat the Bolts in the finals of the 2016 and 2017 Governors Cup.
He's drawn the ire of the Ginebra fans since then. But that is bound to change as Dillinger joins the crowd favorite after a stunning move on Friday.
Joe Devance, who was one of the Ginebra players who responded to that tweet, was as surprised as everyone when he learned about Dillinger signing up with the team after being relegated to the unrestricted free agent list by Meralco.
"We were all surprised when we heard about it. We're like, when was it? It was right after practice when we heard about it. It was shocking. I'm not sure what happened how we got him but I think it'll be a good thing when he gets playing with us," he said.
Devance, though, said everything's good between them - provided he treats the team to good food.
"It's all love, it's all good. Me and Dillinger are friends. Even before, it was all in good fun. I actually talked to him a little bit yesterday, everything's good. I think he's injured, right? Once he gets healthy, I'm sure he'll help the team," the lefty forward said.
"I just told him to bring good food in practice. He should. He'll listen. If he's a good teammate, he'll listen and bring good food in practice. I'm excited."
Devance said he wants the fans of red and white to know Dillinger was never really a Ginebra hater. Like most players, he was just a fierce competitor.
"He never really, he never hated Ginebra. It was all for good fun and trying to hype up the crowd. It was all in good fun and competition. He never hated Ginebra, I just want to let the fans know," he said.
Although injury-riddled recently, the wingman can bring a lot to the table for the Gin Kings who are stacked, to say the least, in his position.
"For sure. I'm sure he'll come in and have the never-say-die spirit. That's his game - he plays hard, he plays with heart," the Fil-Am cager said.
Ginebra head coach Tim Cone said, if healthy, Dillinger will make a world of difference for the Gin Kings.
"I think Dillinger's a good passer and he can shoot threes. He's a topnotch defender, run the floor really well. All those things are a given if his health is there," Cone said.
Although they are teammates now, Devance said the Twitter war will continue.
"We might just go at it still on Twitter just for the fun, even as teammates," he said in jest.