JEROM Lastimosa is now officially a Hotshot.

jerom lastimosa contract alvin patrimonio chito victolero

The prolific guard out of Adamson was signed by Magnolia to a contract on Friday in what could signal a changing of the guards at Magnolia.

Lastimosa was given a three-year deal by the Purefoods franchise.

READ Magnolia acquires Lucero by trading Jalalon, Tratter to Northport

PBA great and now Magnolia team manager Alvin Patrimonio was present during the contract signing along with coach Chito Victolero and Lastimosa’s representative Edgar Mangahas.

Lastimosa will now be tasked to fill the void left by former Defensive Player of the Year Jio Jalalon, who was traded along with Abu Tratter to Northport for sophomore big man Zavier Lucero.

The 26-year-old guard from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental however, won’t be able to suit up for Magnolia right away as he’s still recuperating from ACL surgery.

Lastimosa said during the recent PBA draft, where he was selected No. 9 overall by the Hotshots, that he’s just 70-80 percent healthy and would need a bit of a time to finally be back to full fitness.

PHOTO BY: IVY FERRER

The 5-foot-11 Lastimosa was once a part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool, who played for the team that regained the basketball gold for the country in the last Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.