For many PBA players, longevity is under threat from a virus that is pushing the season to the brink of cancellation.
And it’s not like it's an easy attribute to own in a cutthroat world of professional basketball, where every season brings with it a bumper crop of talent ready to displace veteran legs.
However, Meralco Bolts' Reynel Hugnatan has no plans of singing his swan song anytime soon, saying he plans to play the game he loves for as long as he can.
The 41-year-old Hugnatan is just one of six players in the league who are aged 40 or over. Asi Taulava of NLEX heads that list as the oldest player with 47 followed, by Rafi Reavis of Magnolia (42), Harvey Carey of TNT (41), Mark Caguioa of Barangay Ginebra (40), and PJ Simon of Magnolia (40).
Ginebra legend Robert Jaworski still holds the record for being in the active roster until he was 50 and the likes of two-time MVP Abet Guidaben and four-time MVP Ramon Fernandez retired when they were 43 and 41 respectively.
"Hindi ko pa iniisip ‘yan," said Hugnatan in an episode of SPIN Sidelinesk. "Habang kaya pa."
The University of Manila product actually began his pro career in 1998 as a member of the Negros Slashers in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). Following the demise of the MBA, Hugnatan went to the PBA where he was drafted ninth overall by Coca-Cola in 2003.
The Meralco big man said he doesn’t see any reason why he should retire since he was still being signed by his current team to a new deal. Hugnatan also feels that even if he retires in the PBA, he will still be playing basketball anyway.
"Basta may mga offers pa sa team, bakit hindi. Kasi iniisip ko, kapag hindi na ako naglalaro [sa PBA], maglalaro pa rin ako," he said. "At least ngayon, nabibigyan pa ako ng kontrata ng team. At least kumikita pa ako. Habang healthy pa ako, kung kaya ko pa maglaro, lalaro pa ako."
However, one will ask how far can Hugnatan and company can take the physical demands on their bodies.
"I think for guys like Asi, time is of the essence so this stoppage doesn’t work in their favor," said retired great Jimmy Alapag, who has played with Taulava, Hugnatan and Carey in the PBA and with Caguioa in the national team.
The sooner the PBA can continue playing, the more the five players, including Hugnatan, can hold off hanging their sneakers the way Vince Carter did when the pandemic shut down the NBA.
And it’s not like it's an easy attribute to own in a cutthroat world of professional basketball, where every season brings with it a bumper crop of talent ready to displace veteran legs.
However, Meralco Bolts' Reynel Hugnatan has no plans of singing his swan song anytime soon, saying he plans to play the game he loves for as long as he can.
The 41-year-old Hugnatan is just one of six players in the league who are aged 40 or over. Asi Taulava of NLEX heads that list as the oldest player with 47 followed, by Rafi Reavis of Magnolia (42), Harvey Carey of TNT (41), Mark Caguioa of Barangay Ginebra (40), and PJ Simon of Magnolia (40).
Ginebra legend Robert Jaworski still holds the record for being in the active roster until he was 50 and the likes of two-time MVP Abet Guidaben and four-time MVP Ramon Fernandez retired when they were 43 and 41 respectively.
"Hindi ko pa iniisip ‘yan," said Hugnatan in an episode of SPIN Sidelinesk. "Habang kaya pa."
The University of Manila product actually began his pro career in 1998 as a member of the Negros Slashers in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). Following the demise of the MBA, Hugnatan went to the PBA where he was drafted ninth overall by Coca-Cola in 2003.
The Meralco big man said he doesn’t see any reason why he should retire since he was still being signed by his current team to a new deal. Hugnatan also feels that even if he retires in the PBA, he will still be playing basketball anyway.
"Basta may mga offers pa sa team, bakit hindi. Kasi iniisip ko, kapag hindi na ako naglalaro [sa PBA], maglalaro pa rin ako," he said. "At least ngayon, nabibigyan pa ako ng kontrata ng team. At least kumikita pa ako. Habang healthy pa ako, kung kaya ko pa maglaro, lalaro pa ako."
However, one will ask how far can Hugnatan and company can take the physical demands on their bodies.
"I think for guys like Asi, time is of the essence so this stoppage doesn’t work in their favor," said retired great Jimmy Alapag, who has played with Taulava, Hugnatan and Carey in the PBA and with Caguioa in the national team.
The sooner the PBA can continue playing, the more the five players, including Hugnatan, can hold off hanging their sneakers the way Vince Carter did when the pandemic shut down the NBA.
No comments:
Post a Comment