“Benjamin and his two younger brothers were instilled with the teachings of their faith from a young age.”
Benjamin Phillips III is one of the rare basketball players from the UAAP who finished his MBA and then continued to become a doctoral student, taking up his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).
He took up the course because he wants to pair basketball and academics on and off the court as a leader who aspires to strive further in life. He wants to gain knowledge at a higher academic level and be equipped with business acumen and leadership. He desired to become a thought leader who could analyze big data and understand complex situations to make better decisions, both in business and in life. In reality, he understood the importance of education, which was not just an academic ladder but a journey of lifelong learning that would always be part of his identity.
Benjamin’s journey in Manila was rooted in his family’s deep connection with sports and academia. He and his brother Michael were invited to join the Green Archers, a testament to their athletic prowess. Benjamin, the eldest of the three Phillips Brothers, shared this journey with his middle brother, Isaiah, and the youngest, Michael.
Their father, Rev. Benjamin Phillips Jr., was a former professional basketball player in Europe, having had a stellar career at Eastern Kentucky University. Their mother, Dr. Sharon Phillips, was also an athlete in high school, excelling as a cheerleader and a volleyball player, before focusing on her Doctorate in Psychology. This rich athletic background, coupled with their shared values of faith, service, and communion, formed the foundation of their resilience and unity.
The De La Salle Green Archers did not formally recruit Benjamin and, at first, was mistaken as Michael’s father during the initial recruiting trips. Yet, with unwavering determination and resilience honed on the court and in the classroom, Benjamin defied all personal odds to walk on the team as a non-recruit.
Having played in high school in the United States, Benjamin chose to focus on academics and business with his undergraduate career at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he was recently named as a 2024 finalist for the prestigious 18 of the Last 9 Award (a program designed to honor alumni who are living out the values inherent in a Miami education). However, the call of basketball beckoned, leaving him yearning to make an impact on a larger stage, a future platform in front of an entire country to lead a team back into the championship pedigree that they belonged to.
Benjamin, the eldest of the Phillips siblings, shares a deep-rooted connection with his family and De La Salle University, united by their faith, service, and communion. Raised in a religious household, with his father, Benjamin Phillips Jr., serving as a preacher, Benjamin and his two younger brothers were instilled with the teachings of their faith from a young age. These lessons became the bedrock of their resilience, guiding them through the challenges of academics, business, athletics, and life while strengthening their bond as brothers. To be continued.
Dr. Junius Yu is a full-time faculty member of the Decision Sciences and Innovation Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. He can be reached at junius.yu@dlsu.edu.ph.
Benjamin Phillips III is a DBA student of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. He can be reached at benjamin_phillips_a@dlsu.edu.ph.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.