Raymond Almazan

College career

During his college years at Letran, Raymond Almazan built a reputation as a tough defender, a strong rebounder, and a reliable shot-blocker. He earned both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in NCAA Season 89.

He guided the Knights to the championship series against San Beda for two consecutive years, but they lost both times. Almazan ended his college career without winning a title. While still a student, he also played for the Cagayan Rising Suns and other squads in the PBA D-League.

Professional career

Raymond Almazan entered the PBA as the third pick of the 2013 draft, joining the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. He came off the bench as a supporting piece alongside the well-known Extra Rice Inc. frontcourt duo of Beau Belga and JR Quiñahan. His first standout performance as a professional came on December 29, 2013, when he put up 17 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks in just 24 minutes during a 101–77 blowout of the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.

In that debut conference, Rain or Shine knocked out Globalport Batang Pier in the quarterfinals and then the Petron Blaze Boosters in the semifinals, but fell to San Mig Coffee in six games. Game 6 featured a partial walkout by Almazan and his teammates in the second quarter, halting play for ten minutes and resulting in a P2 million fine.

The team reached the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, where they lost to Talk N’ Text. During the 2014 Governor’s Cup, Almazan recorded 12 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks in a win over Meralco; his squad advanced to the finals but again lost to the Coffee Mixers, who completed a Grand Slam. He was named to the All-Rookie Team that season.

In the 2014–15 Philippine Cup, Almazan scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Blackwater. Rain or Shine pushed to the semifinals against Alaska, where he had 16 points and nine boards in a Game 5 defeat, then finished the series with 11 points and eight rebounds as the team lost in Game 6. He participated in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game during the 2015 All-Star Weekend. Later, in the Commissioner’s Cup, he was fined 40,000 pesos after a game versus Barangay Ginebra for taunting fans with a dirty finger and other offensive gestures.

That conference, Rain or Shine secured the top seed, eliminated Ginebra in the quarterfinals—Almazan contributed 17 points, five rebounds, and a game-tying triple—then swept Meralco in the semifinals. In the finals against TNT, he posted 18 points and 10 rebounds in a Game 6 win, but the team fell in Game 7 in double overtime, 121–119. During the Governor’s Cup, the Elasto Painters stumbled to a 1–4 start before closing the elimination round with six straight wins to claim the third seed. They advanced to the semifinals, where the San Miguel Beermen swept them in four games.

National team career

Raymond Almazan's first call-up to the Philippine national team came in 2016 for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, but his club, Rain or Shine, did not release him. He finally debuted for Gilas Pilipinas at the 2017 SEABA Championship, later appearing for the squad at that year's SEA Games and the FIBA Asia Cup.

The following year, he joined the Asian Games roster alongside most of his Rain or Shine teammates and also featured in the fourth window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. Almazan was part of the Gilas lineup for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In 2022, he was selected for the pool of the fourth window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers but withdrew due to family concerns involving his son's health.

Did You Know?

• Almazan is the father of a 7-year-old son named Rayl Jacob.
• On April 15, 2024, he was accused of attempted bribery of a Philippine Coast Guard officer after being flagged for using the EDSA Busway in an unauthorized SUV.