The standard for guest teams in the PBA has quietly been raised over the past few seasons.
Bay Area Dragons came within a game of a championship, while Hong Kong Eastern quickly established itself as a competitive playoff unit.
For Macau Black Knights, however, the climb has been far steeper.
With a 2-8 record through ten games in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup, Macau has already fallen out of playoff contention, struggling to keep up with the league's physicality, depth, and nightly adjustments.
Short rotations, inconsistent offensive structure, and defensive lapses have defined much of their campaign, often leaving them chasing games early and playing from behind late.
Yet amid the growing pains, the constant breath of fresh air on the offensive emerged in Jenning Leung.
From the first game of the guest team, the 30-year old Leung has established himself as their best local scorer. It's evidenced by his good averages of 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and a league-leading 2.7 steals.
Even though known as a knockdown shooter, it's been a tough conference shooting the ball, as he has been at top of scouting reports, with a lowly 26.6% clip from beyond the arc.
However, in the two wins of the Black Knights, Leung has served as the main catalyst, erupting for 31 points and five assists on an efficient 11-for-17 shooting from deep -- a clear sign of how much his shot-making dictates Macau's chances of staying competitive.
And one of his biggest motivations lies far beyond the numbers he puts up on the court.
For Leung, playing in the Philippines is not just another professional opportunity -- it is something deeply personal, rooted in his history of growing up in the country and attending school here with Brent International School long before his pro career began.
"So I moved here when I was one, with my family, and then I grew up here all the way until I graduated from Brent when I was 17," Leung shared.
This upbringing has shaped his feel for the local brand of basketball, which was built on instinct, creativity, and resilience. It shows in the way he creates offense, whether it's through quick decision-making, off-ball movement, or taking tough shots late in the clock.
More importantly, it has allowed him to treat the PBA not as unfamiliar territory, but as a return to the place where he first discovered the game.
"My experience in the Philippines has been amazing, like it's my second home... I grew up in Los Baños, Laguna, so not like in the city or anything," he added.
"We'd play in barangay leagues ... they'd just bring us in and we'd play, it was so much fun."
Still, beyond the production and the role he has embraced, there remains a deeper motivation driving him forward -- a specific career goal that makes this guest stint feel like an audition for a permanent home.
"It was a dream to play in the PBA ... if I was able to get a Filipino passport, it would be a dream to come play here as a local."
That dream has fueled his performances throughout the conference. Even as the losses piled up, Leung's approach has not wavered, as continued to attack, create, and lead by example for a team still finding its footing.
In many ways, his emergence has been the defining development of Macau's campaign. While the standings may not reflect success, Leung has provided something just as valuable -- a clear building block for the future
Because for the Black Knights, this season may be about growing pains. But for Leung, it is about something more.
It is about proving that he belongs on this stage and turning a place he has always called home into where he can truly continue his career.