Gab Lagman Is Playing the Long Game
From scrubbing floors in Las Vegas to capturing hearts in Manila, the rising star reflects on the discipline that keeps him grounded
A journey of grit, gratitude, and growth
The scent of floor wax and the hollow thud of a basketball against a hardwood court are the sensory anchors that keep Gab Lagman tethered to reality. Long before the blinding flash of paparazzi cameras, there was the solitary glow of a gymnasium at dawn and the gritty reality of scrubbing floors to earn his keep.
For this rising star, the journey from the suburban courts of Las Vegas to rising stardom in the Philippines is not simply a vertical climb, but a series of calculated fast breaks fueled by discipline that keeps him connected to where he started.
A retrospective scouting report on his life indicates that Gab’s first instinct isn’t to list his filmography. Instead, he looks back at his childhood dreams. “Maybe I used to dream of being a basketball player since I was a kid,” he shares.
Growing up in Las Vegas, basketball was more than a hobby. It was a way of life. He played through his freshman and sophomore years of high school, but a pivotal realization struck in his junior year.
The discipline of the court
Gab explains that the intense dedication required for professional-level basketball, with early morning training every single day, was something he began to question, especially as he balanced a growing desire for independence.
“I chose to just be a working student to have my own car. So I gave up on my dream for that.”
This early lesson in sacrifice and hard work would eventually become the bedrock of his acting career.
Despite stepping away from the professional path, basketball remains a source of pride. Since 2019, Gab has been a staple in celebrity basketball leagues, a role that has allowed him to travel the world, from New Zealand and Canada to Qatar, while also traversing the Philippines.
Some of the most surreal moments are on the court, passing the ball to Filipino basketball legends he once watched with his grandfather, including Dondon Hontiveros, Willie Miller, and Marc Pingris.
Bridging two worlds
The transition from a studious scholarship student in the U.S. to the entertainment industry in the Philippines might seem jarring, but Gab finds a clear through-line: discipline. He credits his time as a student-athlete in Vegas for teaching him how to prove himself through hard work.
“In the US, academics are very different compared to when I was here in the Philippines,” he notes. The focus and effort required to maintain a scholarship, he says, translated directly into his acting craft.
This groundedness is most evident in his humility. Long before he was a heartthrob, Gab was cleaning toilets, mopping floors, and taking out the trash to afford his first car.
The breakthrough moment
Having this life right now always keeps me grounded and always makes me feel gratitude because I’ve experienced life both ways,” Gab reflects.
“I’ll never take opportunities for granted.”
Every actor waits for that one role that changes everything. For Gab, that role was Sevi Camero in the University Series. The irony that his big break involved playing a college basketball player is not lost on him.
It was a “best fit” role that merged his two passions. He approached it with seriousness, even working with the director to develop authentic plays that made the characters feel real to fans.
Faith and future ambitions
However, the journey to Sevi wasn’t immediate. Gab entered the industry in 2017 and faced years of uncertainty. His secret to staying sane during the lean years? A combination of physical discipline and spiritual surrender.
“I always believe that if it’s for you, it’s for you. Everything, I mean, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
This timing-is-everything philosophy is bolstered by his faith, trusting that the right role comes at the right time.
Physically, the gym and the court remain his sanctuary. Without training, he feels off balance. It is his way of clearing his head and maintaining the focus needed to navigate the pressures of fame.
The evolution of an actor
Despite the massive success of the University Series, Gab is far from feeling like he has “won the championship.” To him, this is just the beginning. He is eager to shed the “Sevi” persona—not out of a lack of love for the character, but out of a desire for growth.
“I’ve come to appreciate the Sevi persona so much that a bit of it carries into my real life, his personality and sometimes even in the way I speak. I also want to challenge myself by trying different roles, because I know those experiences will help me grow and improve over time.”
His ambitions are diverse. Gab dreams of playing a “Joker-style” villain role, inspired by the performance of Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. He is also fascinated by aviation, citing the peacefulness of being in the air and his desire to visit every country in the world.
When it comes to his craft, Gab hopes to collaborate with veteran actors like Jericho Rosales and John Lloyd Cruz, and work under directors like Erik Matti or Mikhail Red.
Staying true to his roots
For Gab, the long game is about enduring the demands of the journey. In the entertainment industry, hype is fleeting, but character endures.
He approaches his projects with the same work-study mentality that he honed in Las Vegas, treating every script like a new scholarship and every set like a court to master. He isn’t chasing quick wins or fleeting TikTok trends.
Instead, he’s focused on building a legacy that his family back in the States and his supporters in the Philippines can be proud of.
At the heart of Gab’s success is a tight-knit family. A self-described “proud mama’s boy,” he talks to his mother in the U.S. almost every day. He credits his “strong support system,” including his father, and his father’s extended family in the Philippines, his grandmother, and his aunt, for keeping him grounded in an industry that can often feel isolating.
Eyes on the horizon, heart on the court
As he daydreams of the pilot’s seat and more challenging dramatic roles, Gab proves that the grit he developed while mopping floors became a lifetime lesson and the very foundation of the man he is today. In a world that often demands “more, faster,” he keeps his head down, his heart open, and his eyes on the horizon.
If he could speak to his younger self, the boy who was working hard in Vegas to save up for a car, Gab has a simple message:
“I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you that you stuck to your plan… keep dreaming big”
As he moves into more complex and diverse roles, Gab remains a rare breed of celebrity: one who knows the value of a dollar, the importance of a well-executed play, and the power of staying true to one’s roots. Whether he’s in front of a camera or lining up a three-point shot, he is playing the long game.
Chief of Editorial Content Patrick Ty
Photography Jharwin Castaneda
Art direction Mike Miguel
FashionFashionThe art and industry of designing, producing, and styling clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty trends. It reflects cultural influences, personal expression, and evolving styles across seasons and markets.Go to Fashion Glossary Corven Uy
Editor Dayne Aduna
Grooming Xeng Zulueta
Hair Matt Ledesma
Retouching Summer Untalan
Production Francis Vicente
Photography assistants Joshua Navato and Aljon Celis
Special thanks Veronique Del Rosario Corpus, John Paul Ador and Caryl Ann Paraico of VIVA Artists Agency
Frequently Asked Questions
Gab Lagman is a Filipino actor who grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he played high school basketball on a scholarship. He later moved to the Philippines and entered the entertainment industry in 2017, building his career through discipline and consistent work.
Gab Lagman is best known for playing Sevi Camero in the University Series, a role that became his breakthrough in Philippine entertainment. The character — a college basketball player — drew directly on his own athletic background, and his performance helped establish him as a rising dramatic talent.
Basketball gave Gab Lagman the discipline and work ethic that he carried into acting. He trained daily as a student-athlete in Las Vegas and later applied that same focus to his craft — treating every script like a scholarship and every set as a new challenge to master.
Gab Lagman has expressed interest in playing complex villains, citing Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight as an inspiration. He also hopes to work with veteran Filipino actors like Jericho Rosales and John Lloyd Cruz, and collaborate with directors Erik Matti and Mikhail Red.
Since 2019, Gab Lagman has been a regular in celebrity basketball leagues in the Philippines, competing in games that have taken him to New Zealand, Canada, Qatar, and across the country. He has shared the court with Filipino basketball legends including Dondon Hontiveros, Willie Miller, and Marc Pingris.
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